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REVIEW 


of  the 

County  Jails  in  Pennsylvania 

OFFICIAL  REPORT 

,  BY 

ALBERT  H.  VOTAW 


Issued  as  a  Prologue  to  No.  59  of 

The  Journal  of  Prison  Discipline  and 
Philanthropy 


V 

MAY  1920 


THE  PENNSYLVANIA  PRISON  SOCIETY 
FORREST  BUILDING 
PHILADELPHIA,  PA. 


Ui  Ed.  5000— 5-M920 


“TN  the  United  States,  you  lose  sight  of 
I  the  fact  that  your  splendid  Reforma - 
A  tories  deal  with  merely  a  drop  in  the 
bucket  compared  with  the  county  and 
city  jails  to  which  thousands  of  your 
prisoners  go,  and  where  many  are  manu¬ 
factured.  ...  In  1877  every  prison  and 
jail  in  Ireland  was  put  under  central 
administrative  authority  and  the  expen¬ 
ses  paid  out  of  the  imperial  funds.  We 
closed  half  the  prisons.  .  .  I  have  to 
give  every  person,  whether  tried  or  un¬ 
tried,  a  separate  room  to  sleep  in,  and  I 
would  lose  my  job  if  I  put  two  prisoners 
in  a  cell.  .  .  I  am  obliged  by  law  to 
give  every  prisoner  two  hours’  exercise 
in  the  open  air  every  day.  .  .  And  I 
am  obliged  by  law  to  make  every  con¬ 
victed  prisoner  work  even  if  he  is  sen¬ 
tenced  only  for  two  days,  and  to  offer 
every  untried  prisoner  work.  In  these 
days  of  rapid  communication,  there  is 
no  need  of  prisons  in  the  center  of  a 
city.  ...” 

J.  S.  Gibbons, 

Chairman  Prison  Board  of  Ireland. 


INTRODUCTION 


During  the  year  1919  the  Secretary  of  The  Pennsylvania 
Prison  Society  has  visited  the  sixty-seven  county  prisons  of  the 
Commonwealth,  and  has  become  further  confirmed  in  his  convic¬ 
tion  that  some  radical  change  in  administration  is  needed  in  order 
to  keep  pace  with  modern  principles  of  penology.  Our  duty  to 
the  convicts  does  not  end  with  confinement  within  certain  defined 
limits.  But  confinement  appears  to  be  the  main  purpose  of  the 
majority  of  the  county  prisons.  It  must  be  recognized  that  some 
form  of  useful  employment  is  essential  in  order  to  maintain  the 
health  and  morale  of  our  prisoners.  Most  of  the  officials  of  these 
prisons  lament  the  conditions  which  obstruct  the  useful  employ¬ 
ment  of  the  majority  of  the  inmates.  We  place  no  censure  on 
the  sheriffs  or  wardens  for  the  idleness  so  prevalent  in  the  pris¬ 
ons,  yet  there  are  some  wardens  and  managers  who  are  more 
resourceful  in  finding  some  sort  of  employment  than  others. 
But  in  most  of  the  county  prisons  there  are  insurmountable  diffi¬ 
culties  in  securing  employment.  The  population  is  small  and 
continually  changing.  And  yet  every  man  who  remains  in  such 
a  prison  a  year  is  wasting  in  idleness  three  hundred  days.  No 
provision  has  been  made  by  the  Inspectors  or  Commissioners 
for  any  employment.  In  the  reports  of  the  individual  counties, 
which  follow  these  general  remarks,  it  will  be  noted  that  the  idle¬ 
ness,  so  prevalent  in  almost  all  these  prisons,  is  deplored. 

INDUSTRIAL  FARMS 

The  Commonwealth  should  assume  the  care  of  her  convicted 
prisoners.  They  have  committed  offences  “against  the  peace  and 
dignity  of  the  Commonwealth.”  Hence  the  county  prisons 
should  be  used  only  for  the  detention  of  the  untried  and  of  those 
sentenced  to  a  few  days  for  minor  infraction  of  local  require¬ 
ments.  The  establishment  of  a  few  State  Industrial  Farms,  on 
which  agriculture,  horticulture,  quarrying,  stone-crushing,  con¬ 
crete  work,  brickmaking  and  some  two  or  three  special  indus¬ 
tries  may  furnish  employment,  is  the  best  solution  of  the  most 
vexatious  of  our  prison  problems.  This  statement  is  not  based 
on  mere  theories,  but  on  successful  experiments  in  other  States. 
A  high  degree  of  success  in  this  method  of  employment  may  be 
found  in  the  Allegheny  County  Workhouse,  at  Hoboken,  Pa. 


4 


Review  of  County  Jails  in  Pennsylvania 


THE  FEE  SYSTEM 

The  observations  on  the  prisons  of  the  various  counties  are 
intended  to  be  neither  comprehensive  nor  systematic.  For  more 
complete  statistics,  see  Report  of  the  Board  of  Public  Charities 
soon  to  be  issued.  This  inspection  has  been  made  with  the  inten¬ 
tion  of  calling  attention  to  certain  salient  features,  some  of 
which  are  mentioned  with  commendation,  others  of  which  are 
unhesitatingly  disapproved.  The  fee  system,  whereby  the  sherilf 
or  warden  receives  a  stipulated  sum  for  boarding  the  prisoners, 
is  so  liable  to  abuse  that  this  practice,  especially  in  the  larger 
counties,  is  invariably  denounced. 

In  fifty  of  the  sixty-seven  counties  the  management  of  the 
prison  is  under  the  supervision  of  the  sheriff,  though  in  a  few 
of  these  counties  the  sheriff  may  appoint  a  warden.  In  seven¬ 
teen  counties  the  sheriff’s  duties,  so  far  as  the  prison  is  con¬ 
cerned,  determine,  when  he  has  delivered  the  accused  to  the 
prison  keepers.  As  a  rule  those  prisons  which  are  under  the 
exclusive  control  of  a  warden  are  more  efficiently  administered 
than  those  under  the  care  of  the  sheriffs.  The  explanation  is 
not  difficult. 

1  The  Wardens  are  usually  chosen  for  their  fitness  to  man¬ 
age  penal  institutions.  Frequently  they  hold  their  office  as  long 
as  their  duties  are  faithfully  attended  to. 

2  The  Sheriff  is  changed  every  four  years.  He  is  often 
selected  for  service  to  some  political  party,  not  for  any  adapta¬ 
tion  for  the  responsibilities  of  his  office.  If  he  is  inclined  to 
study  the  best  methods  of  prison  discipline  and  management, 
before  he  has  fully  learned  his  lesson,  his  successor  is  installed. 

3  Under  a  sheriff  the  food  is  provided  on  the  fee  system. 
Under  a  warden,  the  provision  is  usually  supplied  at  the  actual 
cost.  It  is  a  vicious  principle  in  institutional  management  to 
stipulate  that  the  superintendent  shall  depend  for  his  personal 
maintenance  on  the  profit  arising  from  supplying  the  inmates 
with  provision.  It  would  be  just  as  sensible  to  arrange  that  he 
should  derive  a  profit  from  clothing  and  heating  the  inmates — 
an  assumption  which  is  preposterous. 

THE  FOOD 

In  this  report  we  have  given  considerable  attention  to  the 
food  conditions  at  the  prisons,  both  as  regards  the  daily  bill  of 
fare  and  the  service.  There  is  much  diversity  among  the  coun¬ 
ties  with  regard  to  the  supply  and  distribution  of  food.  In  coun¬ 
ties  where  the  food  is  served  at  cost  the  average  daily  expense 
per  prisoner  varies  from  11  cents  to  28  cents.  In  the  counties 
where  from  40  to  50  cents  per  day  are  paid  for  boarding  the 


Introduction 


prisoners  there  is  a  universal  wail  that  “there’s  nothing  in  it.” 
And  yet  the  daily  bill  of  fare  is  usually  much  better  in  the  coun¬ 
ties  where  the  food  is  supplied  at  cost.  In  a  few  prisons  tables 
are  provided  at  which  the  meals  may  be  served,  but  the  general 
custom  is  similar  to  the  methods  of  a  zoological  garden.  Let  us 
be  just.  In  most  of  the  cells  or  apartments,  the  prisoners  have 
their  own  tables.  Some  of  them  prefer  to  eat  in  seclusion  away 
from  the  mob,  many  of  whom  have  not  received  special  education 
in  table  manners. 


SPECIAL  LEGISLATION 

From  time  to  time,  beginning  about  1830  and  continuing  to 
1868,  the  General  Assembly  passed  special  acts  for  the  manage¬ 
ment,  respectively,  of  several  of  the  prisons  in  the  larger  coun¬ 
ties.  These  counties  are  Allegheny,  Berks,  Chester,  Dauphin, 
Delaware,  Lancaster,  Lehigh,  Luzerne,  Montgomery,  Northamp¬ 
ton,  Northumberland,  Philadelphia  and  Schuylkill.  There  may  be 
special  legislation  affecting  minor  points  in  some  other  counties. 
Some  of  those  acts  presented  rather  elaborate  schemes  for  prison 
management.  Some  features  are  taken  from  the  statute  of  1829 
regulating  the  management  of  the  Eastern  Penitentiary.  The 
sheriffs  or  wardens  are  to  reside  within  the  prison  limits  and 
are  not  to  be  absent  over  night  unless  officially  permitted  by  the 
Board.  This  regulation  has  been  modified  by  a  recent  statute. 
The  prisoners  are  to  be  placed  in  “separate  and  solitary  confine¬ 
ment  at  labor,”  a  provision  wholly  unobserved  except  at  the 
Philadelphia  Convict  Prison,  and  everT  here  the  labor  condition  is 
not  fulfilled.  “Discreet  and  reputable  citizens”  are  to  constitute 
the  Board  of  Inspectors.  They  must  make  weekly  rounds  among 
the  prisons,  unaccompanied  by  the  warden,  except  by  their 
request,  and  are  to  take  note  of  all  complaints.  In  at  least  two 
counties  the  inspectors  are  to  be  elected  by  popular  vote.  Once 
weekly  the  inspectors  are  to  check  off  the  prisoners  from  an 
authoritative  list.  Matrons  are  to  be  appointed  to  care  for  the 
female  prisoners.  The  warden  may  visit  the  women’s  quarters, 
but  must  do  so  in  the  company  of  the  matron.  It  is  explicitly 
stated  that  the  women  prisoners  are  to  be  “given  such  instruc¬ 
tion  as  may  tend  to  their  reformation  and  to  render  them  useful 
members  of  society.”  The  minuteness  of  directions  included  in 
these  lengthy  statutes  is  a  source  of  embarrassment.  The  pro¬ 
visions  of  the  present  Constitution,  in  effect  since  1874,  forbid 
such  special  legislation,  but  the  special  legislation  in  effect  prior 
to  1874,  remains  in  force. 


6 


Review  of  County  Jail *  in  Pennsylvania 


UNIFORMITY 

We  are  convinced  that  it  is  desirable  to  aim  at  greater  uni¬ 
formity  in  the  management  of  our  penal  institutions.  It  would 
be  unwise  to  include  in  the  Constitution  a  comprehensive  scheme 
of  penal  management,  which,  however  efficient  at  the  present 
time,  would  probably  need  in  a  few  years  to  be  materially  modi¬ 
fied  in  order  to  keep  pace  with  the  progressive  spirit  of  the  age. 
Article  X,  Section  1,  of  the  present  Constitution,  provides  that 
“the  General  Assembly  shall  provide  for  the  maintenance  and 
support  of  a  thorough  and  efficient  system  of  public  schools, 
wherein  all  the  children  of  this  Commonwealth  above  the  age  of 
six  years  may  be  educated,  and  shall  appropriate  at  least  one 
million  dollars  each  year  for  that  purpose.’'  There  are  two  other 
sections,  one  providing  that  sectarian  schools  are  not  to  be  sup¬ 
ported  by  public  school  money,  and  another  providing  that  women 
may  be  eligible  to  any  office  under  the  school  system.  The  fur¬ 
ther  details  are  wisely  left  to  legislative  enactment. 

CONSTITUTIONAL  AMENDMENT 

We  have,  therefore,  submitted  to  the  Commission  now 
engaged  in  the  task  of  preparing  a  tentative  draft  of  proposed 
changes  to  the  Constitution,  the  desirability  of  including  a  simi¬ 
lar  article  relating  to  Penal  Affairs. 

PENAL  SYSTEM 

Section  1.  The  General  Assembly  shall  provide  for  the  main¬ 
tenance  and  support  of  a  humane  and  efficient  penal  system  in 
accordance  with  modern  scientific  principles  of  penology,  such 
system  to  include  adequate  provision  for  suspension  of  sentence, 
the  indeterminate  sentence  and  release  on  probation  and  parole 
of  convicted  offenders,  as  may  be  determined  by  law.  It  shall 
also  provide  that  all  persons  convicted  of  crime  or  delinquency 
who  shall  be  committed  to  penal,  correctional  or  reformatory 
institutions  shall  be  employed  in  useful  labor  and  shall  receive 
such  treatment  and  instruction  as  shall  tend  to  effect  their  moral 
reformation  and  qualify  them  to  become  useful  citizens  of  the 
Commonwealth. 

Section  2.  The  General  Assembly  shall  create  such  admin¬ 
istrative  and  supervisory  department  or  departments  or  such 
other  agencies  as  may  be  necessary  to  carry  into  effect  the  pro¬ 
visions  of  this  article. 


Introduction 


If  such  article  is  adopted,  it  will  pave  the  way  for  the  estab¬ 
lishment  of  some  general  system  whereby  more  care  and  super¬ 
vision  may  be  given  to  the  efficient  management  of  all  our  pris¬ 
ons.  The  principles  of  reformation  and  employment  will  be 
recognized  as  being  inherent  in  any  scheme  for  the  treatment  of 
offenders.  The  Commission  had  already  proposed  that  the  fee 
system  should  be  abolished  so  far  as  county  officials  are  con¬ 
cerned,  hence  we  did  not  include  the  revocation  of  fees  for  board¬ 
ing  prisoners  in  our  proposition. 

RECAPITULATION 

For  two  reasons  much  attention  has  been  given  to  the  daily 
ration  in  the  prisons: 

1  To  demonstrate  that  the  fee  system  is  inequitable  and 
uneconomical. 

2  To  give  such  information  to  the  managers  of  the  county 
prisons  as  will  enable  them  to  institute  comparisons  and,  in  some 
instances,  to  make  improvements  both  in  the  bill  of  fare  and  the 
service. 

The  reader  will  note  a  monotonous  reiteration  of  invective 
against  the  idleness  so  frightfully  prevalent  in  most  of  the  pris¬ 
ons  in  order  to  make  as  emphatic  as  possible  our  plea  for  the 
adoption  of  a  different  system  under  the  control  of  the  State, 
whose  “peace  and  dignity”  have  been  assaulted  by  the  offenders. 
In  1914  our  survey  of  the  county  prisons  revealed  that  in  one 
year  more  than  one  million  days  were  wasted  in  idleness  in  our 
county  prisons.  The  operation  of  the  three  P’s,  Parole,  Proba¬ 
tion  and  Prohibition,  has  considerably  diminished  the  population 
of  our  county  jails,  yet  our  estimate,  based  on  much  study  of 
the  situation,  reveals  that  from  six  to  seven  hundred  thousand 
days  are  annually  wasted,  or  worse  than  wasted,  in  these  prisons. 
The  exercise  of  ordinary  business  sagacity  ought  to  recover  a 
large  part  of  this  waste  time.  The  labor  of  convicts  should  be 
utilized  both  for  the  sake  of  their  own  morale  and  for  the  eco¬ 
nomic  advantages  to  the  prisoners  and  to  the  community. 


The  Secretary  desires  to  acknowledge  his  obligations  to  the 
sheriffs,  wardens  and  county  officials  who  have  so  courteously 
and  patiently  assisted  in  making  this  investigation.  Many  of 
them  are  aware  of  the  deficiencies  and  are  honestly  endeavoring 
to  do  the  best  possible  for  the  delinquents  placed  in  their  charge. 
They  deserve  our  sympathy.  An  enlightened  public  sentiment 
ought  soon  to  bring  about  wholesome  improvements  in  our  entire 
penal  system. 


ALBERT  H.  VOTAW,  Secretary. 


8 


Review  of  County  Jails  in  Pennsylvania 


The  County  Prisons  of  Pennsylvania 


ADAMS  COUNTY — Gettysburg  Visited  Aug.  4,  1919. 

The  prison  is  an  antique  structure  of  stone  and  brick.  There  is  a  wide 
inside  corridor  with  cells  opening  into  it  on  each  side.  Windows  are  chinks. 
Of  the  eight  prisoner's,  four  were  serving  time  and  four  were  held  for  trial. 
There  is  a  small  rather  unattractive  yard  the  freedom  of  which  is  allowed  to 
such  prisoners  as  seem  worthy  of  the  privilege.  One  of  the  prisoners  was  a 
woman  who  was  taking  her  exercise  at  the  same  time  the  men  were  out.  There 
is  some  supervision.  The  sheriff  is  a  humane  official  who  exercises  his  judg¬ 
ment  as  to  the  proprieties.  He  believes  in  regulations  of  the  “square  deal” 
variety,  and  therefore  has  little  trouble.  For  supplying,  cooking  and  serving 
food,  the  sheriff  receives  45c  per  diem  for  each  prisoner.  On  the  day  of  in¬ 
spection,  the  following  menu  was  served: — 

Breakfast — Bread,  coffee,  hominy. 

Dinner — Meat,  beans,  potatoes. 

Supper — Bread,  coffee,  fried  potatoes. 

The  food  is  plain,  but  the  sheriff  can  not  be  accused  of  profiteering. 
They  eat  at  tables,  in  civilized  fashion. 

The  prisoners  have  the  privilege  of  purchasing  extra  provisions  and  of 
receiving  same  from  their  friends.  They  may  write  all  the  letters  they 
choose  which  may  be  inspected,  and  they  may  receive  visitors  at  any  rea¬ 
sonable  time.  They  buy  or  beg  tobacco. 

The  Judge  of  the  Court  sometimes  releases  a  misdemeanant  on  proba¬ 
tion  instead  of  confining  him  in  jail.  This  policy  is  recommended  in  every 
possible  case,  since  in  this  prison  there  is  no  employment.  A  transgressor 
may  be  kept  in  this  prison  for  one  year  with  absolutely  nothing  to  do.  It 
may  be  necessary  to  restrict  a  malefactor  within  limits  for  the  good  of  the 
community,  but  it  is  an  additional  crime  to  support  him  in  idleness.  It 
ruins  the  individual  and  is  an  economic  blunder  of  the  first  magnitude.  It  is 
the  duty  of  the  State  to  provide  opportunities  for  these  delinquents  to  sup¬ 
port  themselves.  The  problem  will  be  solved  by  the  establishment  of  State 
Industrial  Farms  to  which  those  sentenced  for  short  terms  may  be  con¬ 
signed.  The  citizens  of  Adams  County  ought  not  to  be  taxed  year  after  year 
for  the  support  of  from  three  to  eight  husky  chaps  who  ought  to  be  making 
their  own  living.  Their  offences  were  “against  the  peace  and  dignity  of 
the  Commonwealth,”  not  of  the  County,  hence  it  is  the  duty  of  the  State  to 
take  the  proper  care  of  delinquents.  In  1918  for  the  maintenance  of  the 


County  Prison  there  was  paid  . $4,786 

For  maintaining  convicts  at  State  Prison  .  1,829 


This  does  not  indicate  a  large  proportion  of  criminality  in  Adams 
County. 

ALLEGHENY  COUNTY— Pittsburgh— The  City  Prison 

Visited  June  16,  1918. 

As  a  place  of  detention  for  those  who  are  held  for  trial,  this  prison  is 
ably  administered.  It  must  not  be  considered  as  an  industrial  establish¬ 
ment.  About  ten  per  cent,  of  this  number  are  convicts,  most  of  whom  are 
employed  in  domestic  service  about  the  prison.  The  average  time  spent  by 
.the  inmates  of  the  prison  is  thirteen  days,  hence  a  large  number  are  incar¬ 
cerated  for  less  than  thirteen  days.  Regular  work  could  not  be  provided  for 
a  transient  population  except  at  some  employment  like  breaking  stone  with 


Allegheny  County 


9 


a  sledge  hammer.  Remembering  that  nearly  90  per  cent,  of  the  inmates 
are  held  pending  trial  or  arrangements  for  bail,  the  profession  of  stone¬ 
breaking  would  attract  few  practitioners.  Convicts  may  be  compelled  to 
work,  but  the  same  rules  do  not  apply  to  the  untried.  Occasionally  it  hap¬ 
pens  that  for  good  reasons,  a  man  or  woman  is  detained  for  months  or  even 
longer  before  arraignment  in  Court.  In  many  counties,  the  Court  adjourns 
from  May  or  June  to  September,  so  that  a  considerable  number  are  held  for 
some  months  amid  associations  more  or  less  vile  before  they  face  judge  and 
jury.  It  is  quite  possible  that  many  of  these  would  gladly  welcome  an  op¬ 
portunity  for  some  sort  of  employment.  The  inducement  of  a  small  wage 
or  of  a  more  elaborate  dietary  would  induce  the  majority  of  them  to  ac¬ 


cept  employment. 

The  number  in  prison  June  16,  1919 — Males . 509 

The  number  in  prison  June  16,  191^-— Females .  59 

568 

Of  whom  the  number  under  sentence .  71 

Average  daily  number  1918 . 547 

Average  age  in  years .  33 

Daily  cost  of  food  for  each  prisoner  in  1918 .  12}4c 

Daily  overhead  cost  for  each  prisoner .  34%c 


Excepting  ttye  few  who  are  detained  in  the  City  Prison  for  domestic 
service,  those  who  are  sentenced  are  committed  to  the  Allegheny  County 
Workhouse,  to  a  State  Prison,  or  to  a  Reformatory. 

The  Warden  is  accessible  and  takes  interest  in  the  welfare  of  those 
under  his  charge. 

In  the  last  two  years,  meat  is  supplied  to  the  prisoners  four  times  each 
week,  generally  in  the  shape  of  Hamburg  steaks.  The  cooking  and  the  serv¬ 
ice  are  to  be  commended.  While  we  do  not  approve  of  cell-feeding,  as  it 
suggests  the  method  of  the  Zoological  Garden,  in  their  limited  space  there 
appears  to  be  no  place  for  a  dining-room.  There  is  another  reason  for  pass¬ 
ing  their  food  into  the  cells.  In  the  untried  department  there  are  all  sorts 
from  the  innocent  to  the  most  desperate  criminals.  The  jailer  can  make  no 
discrimination,  hence  it  may  be  wise  to  prevent  congregating.  In  detach¬ 
ments  the  prisoners  take  an  hour  each  day  in  exercising  in  a  small  yard.  No 
rules  forbidding  conversation.  They  are  allowed  to  purchase  food  and  to 
receive  provisions  from  their  friends.  All  letters  are  subject  to  inspection. 

A  call  on  the  Parole  and  Probation  officer  revealed  the  following  facts 


of  interest: — 

Number  paroled  prisoners  June  16,  1919 .  143 

Number  of  offenders  on  probation .  798 

Percentage  of  success .  .94 

Number  of  probationers  of  last  two  years  in  the  Army .  200 

Costs  and  fines  collected,  generally  on  installment  plan . $26,530 

Amount  collected  in  excess  salaries  of  officials  .  20,000 

Amount  collected  in  instalments  for  restitution  from  thieves, 
etc .  16,674 


A  special  effort  is  made  to  induce  the  pilferers  to  restore  to  owners  the 
value  of  the  articles  taken. 

They  seem  to  be  particularly  successful  in  collecting  from  wife  desert¬ 
ers,  etc.  Amount  collected  in  1919  (taken  from  report  received  April,  1920), 
$414,731. 

It  appears  that  most  of  the  men  found  guilty  of  failure  to  support  their 
families  are  released  on  condition  of  paying  some  weekly  stipulated  sum  to 
the  Probation  officer  who  forwards  the  amount  to  the  deserted  wife,  mother 
or  other  dependent.  Counting  300  business  days  in  the  year,  this  means 
that  on  every  day  the  amount  collected  and  distributed  averages  about 
$1,382. 


10 


Re mcic  of  County  Jails  in  Pennsylvania 


If  the  defendant  in  such  cases  is  not  counted  worthy  of  parole,  or  if  when 
placed  on  parole  he  fails  without  good  excuse  to  make  the  payments  required, 
he  is  sent  to  the  Allegheny  County  Workhouse  and  required  to  labor  in 
that  institution.  By  the  act  of  1911,  (Act  330,  P.  L.  Pennsylvania,  1911), 
the  sum  of  65c  daily  is  to  be  paid  to  the  plaintiff  in  the  case  of  all  such 
defendants.  Very  few  counties  of  the  Commonwealth  observe  this  law. 
ALLEGHENY  COUNTY — Pittsburgh — The  Workhouse  at  Hoboken 

Visited  June  16,  1919. 

This  Institution  is  situated  on  a  plantation  about  nine  miles  from  the 
Court  House  in  Pittsbui'gh.  Here  may  be  found  the  best  demonstration  of 
what  may  be  accomplished  in  the  way  of  convict  labor  in  the  Common¬ 
wealth.  We  do  not  forget  the  possibilities  of  the  State  Farm  at  Belief onte, 
but  here  no  industries  aside  from  agricultural  operations  have  been  created. 
So  at  the  present  time  we  must  award  the  prize  for  individual  operations 
at  a  penal  institution  to  the  Workhouse  of  Allegheny  County. 

The  commitments  in  1918  were . 4,015 

over  half  of  which  were  for  30  days.  The  time  of  imprisonment  ranges  from 
five  days  to  six  years  and  some  of  them  have  an  indeterminate  sentence, 
who,  after  some  time  of  testing,  are  eligible  for  release  on  parole. 

The  prisoners  make  brooms,  brushes,  carpets,  chairs  and  engage  in 


farming  and  gardening. 

The  estimated  profit  on  manufacture  in  1918  was . $58,904 

Besides  what  they  consumed  from  the  products  of  the  farm,  they 

sold  stock,  vegetables,  etc.,  to  the  value  of .  19,068 

The  actual  cost  for  each  prisoner  is .  81.4c 

On  account  of  the  profits  this  is  reduced  to .  49.5c 

Average  number  of  prisoners  per  day  .  722 

Saved  to  taxpayers  by  profits  or  earnings  . $84,066 


All  who  are  able  are  at  work.  Even  tho  the  terms  of  the  majoidty 
are  less  than  thirty  days,  the  industries  are  successful.  The  inmates  make 
enough  to  pay  forty  per  cent,  of  their  expenses.  Is  it  possible  to  increase 
this  efficiency?  It  is.  The  time  may  come  when  the  prisoners  here  and 
elsewhere  will  earn  100%  of  their  maintenance.  Some  time  it  will  be  re¬ 
garded  as  an  obsolete  and  stupid  policy  to  support  the  criminals  in  idle¬ 
ness.  Any  able  bodied  person  ought  to  have  opportunity  to  earn  his  “board 
and  keep.”  If  he  won’t  work,  he  should  be  made  to  work. 

They  have  religious  services  on  the  Sabbath,  attend  school  in  the  win¬ 
ter,  and  have  access  to  a  library  of  4,000  carefully  selected  volumes. 

Much  of  the  food  is  obtained  from  the  farm.  There  is  a  well  equipped 
dining  room  in  which  they  eat  in  civilized  fashion  except  in  one  important 
particular.  They  tell  us  that  conversation  during  the  meal  time  conduces 
to  health  and  cheerfulness.  Here  they  eat  in  silence  and  are  penalized  for 
talking.  They  may  talk  elsewhere  but  not  while  they  eat.  Formerly  they 
were  allowed  to  converse  in  the  dining  room,  but  “the  privilege  was  abused, 
hence  conversation  has  been  forbidden.”  Doubtless  there  were  rough 
talk,  profanity,  wrangling.  Much  depends  on  the  officers  in  charge.  Under 
expert  handling  this  privilege  could  be  restored.  Most  of  our  penal  institu¬ 
tions  are  learning  that  the  enforcement  of  petty  rules  does  not  constitute 
true  discipline.  So  far  as  possible,  friction  should  be  abolished  and  a  nor¬ 
mal  method  of  living  adopted. 

The  new  cell  block  lacks  nothing  desirable  in  the  line  of  sanitation,  se¬ 
curity,  light  and  general  comfort.  It  has  scarcely  a  feature  of  home  life. 
Life  in  a  cubicle  is  dismal,  ghastly,  depressing. 

As  a  prison  this  institution  is  ably  administered.  What  are  the  reform¬ 
ing  possibilities  ?  We  do  not  hold  with  the  extremists  who  might  find  no 
redeeming  features.  The  inmates  get  a  taste  of  discipline  which  they  have 
never  had  before.  They  get  a  regular  diet  and  better  than  found  in  many 
of  their  homes.  They  are  encouraged  to  form  habits  of  industry. 


Armstrong  Countg 


11 


But  do  these  lawbreakers  go  out  better  than  when  they  came  in  ?  Are 
they  improved  by  the  system  of  treatment  which  they  have  received  ?  Are 
they  supposed  to  be  patients  taking  a  cure  ?  Are  they  in  any  sense  restored 
when  they  leave  the  institution?  Physically,  yes;  morally,  not  often. 

Now  let  us  be  fair  to  the  Workhouse.  The  average  term  is  less  than 
thirty  days.  You  can’t  diagnose  mentality  and  morality,  and  administer 
clinical  treatment  in  thirty  days.  It  is  readily  seen  that  the  entire  system 
needs  changing  from  the  moment  of  the  arrest  till  the  delinqunt  has  had 
a  discharge  after  having  received  appropriate  treatment  and  demonstrated 
his  fitness  to  become  a  helpful  member  of  the  community.  Recidivists  need 
a  purely  indeterminate  sentence  under  expert  care. 

Nearly  one-fourth  of  the  prisoners  have  served  ten  or  more  sentences. 

Twenty-one  of  the  prisoners  have  been  sentenced  fifty  times  or  more. 

Is  there  not  a  better  way  of  treating  the  chronic  cases  ? 

It  is  quite  possible  that  the  prohibition  of  the  liquor  traffic  may  have 
some  bearing  on  this  question. 

ARMSTRONG  COUNTY — Kittanning  Visited  July  16,  1919. 

There  were  five  prisoners,  all  held  for  trial,  on  the  day  of  the  inspection. 
In  the  year  1918,  the  average  daily  attendance  was  8. 

Gloomy  place,  large  cells,  chinks  for  windows,  no  sheets  nor  pillows  fur¬ 
nished. 

Should  be  used  only  as  a  place  of  detention  for  the  untried  prisoners, 
and  yet  some  have  been  sentenced  to  remain  in  this  fastness  for  six  months. 
150  working  days  wasted.  Nothing  to  show  for  it.  As  a  rule  prisoners 
leave  the  prison  worse  than  when  they  entered.  Idleness  never  reforms. 
It  weakens  the  muscles  and  impairs  the  morale. 

For  breakfast  and  supper,  the  prisoners  received  coffee,  molasses  and 
bread  which  costs  ten  cents  per  pound  loaf.  For  dinner  on  the  day  of  the 
inspection  they  had  macaroni  and  vegetable  soup.  Meat  is  rarely  served. 
For  these  delectable  “eats,”  the  sheriff  receives  from  the  county  fifty  cents 
per  day  for  each  prisoner.  While  much  better  meals  are  served  in  many 
jails  for  the  same  sum,  the  sheriff  is  not  getting  wealthy.  But  he  ought  not 
to  try  to  make  any  profit  whatever.  Any  system  which  makes  a  warden 
or  sheriff  dependent  in  the  slightest  manner  upon  the  profits  of  boarding 
prisoners  for  his  financial  reward  is  absolutely  wrong  in  principle. 


Expenses  of  the  County  prison  in  1918 .  $5,631 

The  average  yearly  cost  per  prisoner,  approximately .  480 

For  prisoners  sent  outside  the  county  the  bill  was . 10,171 


When  that  Industrial  Farm  for  convicts  is  established,  much  of  that 
.$15,802  will  be  saved  for  Armstrong  County.  Many  of  the  prisoners  will 
be  sent  to  this  Farm  where  in  good  time  they  may  be  almost  self-supporting 
if  under  the  right  sort  of  management. 

BEAVER  COUNTY — Beaver  Visited  June  14,  1914. 

In  1914  we  found  in  Beaver  an  old  unsanitary  building  which  as  a 
prison  we  unhesitatingly  condemned.  We  are  glad  to  report  that  on  this 
visit  we  find  a  much  more  creditable  structure  built  of  steel  and  admirably 
adapted  as  cages  for  dangerous  animals.  Sanitation  good,  light  poor,  bed¬ 
ding,  on  hard  iron  slats,  nothing  to  boast  of.  Men  have  the  freedom  of  the 
corridor  from  7  A.  M.  till  9  P.  M.  There  is  a  small  yard  but  unused. 
Forty-three  men  were  there  on  the  day  of  inspection  and  five  women  entirely 
separated  from  the  quarters  of  the  men.  Twenty-eight  of  these  creatures 
had  not  received  sentence.  Twenty  were  serving  time  in  idleness  and  daily 
taking  lessons  in  demoralization.  If  by  the  year  the  county  has  every  day 
the  same  number  of  convicts  in  its  prison,  that  means  an  annual  waste  of 
6,000  days  equivalent  to  at  least  a  loss  of  $6,000.  These  men  should  have 
been  under  proper  supervision  engaged  in  some  sort  of  industry  at  which 


12 


Review  of  County  Jails  in  Pennsylvania 


they  would  earn  their  maintenance,  thus  relieving  the  county  of  the  $3,000 
paid  for  the  food  which  the  sheriff  supplied  to  them  at  50c  a  day  and  on 
which  he  made  a  profit  of  “umty-umph”  dollars. 

Cost  of  maintaining  the  prison  in  1918 . $9,367 

This  county  sends  a  considerable  number  of  convicts  to  the  Allegheny 
County  Workhouse  which  charges  the  county  about  85c  per  diem  for  each 
man.  Give  the  county  some  credit  for  this  policy  of  sending  the  men  to  the 
Workhouse.  They  would  pay  the  sheriff  only  50c  per  diem  for  boarding 
the  prisoners,  but  they  prefer  to  deliver  the  men  from  the  evils  of  pure  loaf¬ 
ing  by  paying  85c  daily  for  their  sustenance  in  an  institution  where  they 
must  toil.  In  the  case  of  those  convicted  for  non-support,  they  pay  $1.50 
daily.  Here  is  the  explanation.  They  pay  85c  daily  for  any  prisoner.  In 
the  case  of  those  convicted  of  desertion,  the  Workhouse  forwards  to  some 
one  designated  by  the  Court  the  sum  of  sixty-five  cents  for  each  day  said 
convict  is  at  work  and  then  sends  to  the  Commissioners  of  the  County  a  bill 
for  the  amount  thus  forwarded.  In  some  counties  having  no  workhouse,  the 
Court  will  not  sentence  a  man  to  any  workhouse  outside  the  county  in  order 
to  escape  the  payment  of  the  small  stipend  to  the  dependents.  In  1918,  this 
county  paid  the  sum  of  $634.50  to  the  dependents  of  the  more  or  less  worth¬ 
less  derelicts  who  were  sent  to  the  Workhouse. 

Some  half  dozen  prisoners  assist  in  cleaning,  serving  food,  etc. 

The  bedding  should  be  improved. 

The  Court  occasionally  may  grant  parole. 

BEDFORD  COUNTY— Bedford  Visited  Sept.  12,  1919. 

The  prison  consist  of  a  few  steel  cells  opening  on  inside  corridor,  the 
whole  surrounded  by  an  outside  corridor  and  walled  in. 

The  toilet  was  sadly  out  of  repair,  and  the  ventilation  was  unwholesome. 
Sufficient  bedding  except  sheets. 

There  were  five  inmates,  four  of  whom  were  serving  time,  being  cared 
for  at  the  expense  of  the  county.  No  work  to  mention.  One  who  was  called 
a  trusty  was  a  sort  of  handy  man  about  the  place.  It  has  happened  that  a 
man  may  be  sentenced  to  remain  in  this  “castle  of  indolence”  for  one  year. 
They  have  bread  and  coffee  morning  and  evening  and  on  the  day  visited 
dined  on  bread  and  pepper  pot.  Meat  is  served  once  a  week.  The  county 
pays  the  sheriff  60c  per  diem  for  supplying  provisions  to  the  inmates.  If 
the  prisoners  have  money  or  friends  and  are  dissatisfied  with  the  menu, 
they  may  secure  extra  supplies,  a  privilege  which  is  allowed  in  nearly  all 
the  county  jails  of  the  State.  This  practice  is  unsound  in  principle.  Firstly, 
the  provision  furnished  should  be  plain  but  sufficient.  Secondly,  those  who 
have  money  have  a  decided  advantage  over  the  friendless  and  the  impe¬ 
cunious. 

The  gross  expense  per  diem  for  each  prisoner  in  1918  was.$  1.48 

The  cost  of  maintaining  the  jail  in  1918 .  2,752.68 

Cost  of  maintaining  and  transporting  prisoners  elsewhere.  2,798.00 
The  average  daily  population  in  1918  was  only  two  prisoners. 

BERKS  COUNTY— Reading  Visited  Aug.  6,  1919. 

Number  of  male  prisoners  on  day  of  inspection . 63 

Number  of  female  prisoners  on  day  of  inspection .  8 

The  rules  of  the  Board  prescribe  that  one  half  pound  of  meat  is  to  be 
given  daily  to  each  prisoner.  No  profiteering  of  any  kind  is  allowed  in  fur¬ 
nishing  food,  as  the  bills  for  provisions  are  sent  for  payment  to  the  county 
treasurer  when  authorized  by  the  Inspectors.  There  is  a  regulation  which 
provides  that  the  daily  cost  of  the  sustenance  for  each  prisoner  shall  not  ex¬ 
ceed  28c.  Cell  feeding  is  still  in  vogue,  and  the  supposition  is  that  a  prop¬ 
osition  to  have  them  eat  at  tables  in  the  corridors  would  be  regarded  as  sen- 


Berks  County 


13 


timental,  over-indulgent  and  even  dangerous.  No  offense  is  intended,  and 
yet  there  are  some  intelligent  people  who  believe  that  the  more  civilized  the 


environment,  the  greater  hope  of  reformation. 

They  bake  bread  of  excellent  quality. 

The  cost  of  the  food  in  1918  was . $  7,695.74 

The  net  cost  of  maintaining  the  prison  in  1918  .  31,888.51 

At  a  reported  average  number  of  75  prisoners  each  day,  it 
required  in  Berks  County  to  maintain  one  prisoner  for 

the  year  1918 .  425.11 

Or,  the  daily  cost  of  each  prisoner  is .  1.16 

The  daily  cost  of  each  prisoner  sent  to  Eastern  Peniten¬ 
tiary  .  .51 

To  keep  a  prisoner  one  year  at  the  Eastern  Penitentiary  186.15 
Saving  of  expense  annually  each  prisoner  sent  to  Eastern 

Penitentiary  .  238.96 

Paid  for  maintaining  prisoners  at  other  Institutions .  18,322.95 

The  total  maintenance  for  prisoners  in  1918.... .  50,211.66 


This  is  an  enormous  bill.  Perhaps,  no  county,  X^higJ^excepted,  in  the 
State  having  a  population  of  50,000  or  more  pays  strmuc^per  capita. 

The  County  Prison  is  managed  by  nine  inspectors  elected  by  the  people 
under  a  special  law  of  1848.  They  receive  a  salary  of  $225  per  annum. 

Three  or  five  inspectors  would  suffice.  While  we  may  not  begrudge 
them  the  small  stipend  they  receive  for  their  services,  in  no  other  county 
of  the  State  do  the  inspectors  receive  aught  except  their  expenses. 

It  is  supposable  that  a  board  of  nine  managers  chosen  for  their  busi¬ 
ness  ability  would  be  able  to  make  a  better  financial  showing.  The  pris¬ 
oners  in  1918  with  old  fashioned  hand  looms  made  15,600  yards  of  carpet 
and  the  sales  amounted  to  $9,568.  Several  of  the  inmates  have  been  al¬ 
lowed  to  cultivate  a  few  acres  on  the  almshouse  farm,  thus  supplying  fresh 
vegetables  to  the  prison  and  effecting  some  economy  thereby.  Possibly  the 
management  has  fallen  into  ruts  from  which  it  is  difficult  to  rise.  Under 
the  present  system  there  is  little  hope  of  greater  economy  or  of  reforming 
the  prisoners.  The  inmates  are  allowed  to  take  some  mild  quiet  exercise 
in  the  open  air  for  three  hours  each  week.  The  freedom  of  the  corridors 
is  not  often  granted.  The  weavers  work  and  sleep  in  the  lint  laden  atmos¬ 
phere  of  the  same  cells  in  which  the  looms  are  installed.  Various  sugges¬ 
tions  might  be  considered.  Increase  the  production  by  the  introduction 
of  machinery.  The  products  may  be  sold  to  other  institutions  of  the  State. 
And  a  considerable  percentage  of  the  products  may  be  sold  in  the  open 
market.  The  Institution  may  be  removed  to  a  farm.  Here  it  is  quite  pos¬ 
sible  the  inmates  may  become  self-supporting.  The  County  should  retain 
a  city  prison  for  those  who  are  awaiting  trial.  The  old  site  may  be  sold 
and  a  new  smaller  House  of  Detention  be  built.  The  best  proposition 
is  for  the  Commonwealth  to  establish  a  few  farms  to  which  all  the  con¬ 
victs  sentenced  to  county  prisons  may  be  sent. 

Since  our  last  visit  some  creditable  improvements  have  been  made  in 
the  women’s  quarters.  The  bathing  accommodations  are  complete.  The 
sewing  room  is  light  and  cheerful.  It  is  to  be  regretted  that  the  women 
have  their  cells  in  the  same  wing  with  the  men.  They  are  kept  apart  from 
the  men,  but  the  segregation  is  not  so  complete  as  would  be  desirable. 

At  the  time  of  our  visit,  fifty  women,  fifteen  men,  and  one  hundred  and 
thirty-five  boys  were  released  on  parole. 

Three  causes — Parole,  Probation  and  Prohibition — have  diminished  the 
population  of  our  county  jails. 

The  practice  of  electing  the  inspectors  of  the  county  prison  by  the 
voters  is  not  to  be  commended.  The  terms  are  short  so  that  the  inspectors 
barely  get  somewhat  familiar  with  the  institution  before  a  new  Board  is 
chosen.  With  every  shift  of  the  political  situation,  the  warden  whom  the 


14 


Review  of  County  .tails  in  Pennsylvania 


inspectors  appoint  is  liable  to  be  removed.  Such  institutions  need  able 
superintendents  of  constructive  proficiency, — men  who  have  rare  powers 
of  leadership.  Neither  the  warden  nor  the  managers  should  be  changed 
with  the  whim  of  petty  politics.  (See  Report  Northampton  County.) 

BLAIR  COUNTY — Hollidaysburg  Visited  Sept.  10,  1919. 

On  the  day  of  inspection  there  were  31  prisoners,  fourteen  of  whom 
were  convicts. 

By  a  state  enactment,  the  County  Commissioners  are  the  managers 
and  they  appoint  the  warden,  who  supplies  food  to  the  prisoners  at  the 
daily  rate  ot  45c  for  each  prisoner.  Breakfast  and  supper  consist  of  the 
usual  bread  and  coffee.  Bread  is  supplied  in  slices  usually  in  the  shape 
of  a  molasses  sandwich.  By  rule  some  meat  is  supplied  every  day  which 
is  usually  boiled  or  stewed  with  vegetables.  We  have  condemned  the  fee 
system  in  unmeasured  terms.  It  is  altogether  wrong  in  principle  to  farm 
out  paupers,  insane  or  convicts  at  any  stipulated  sum  per  diem  unless  at 
the  same  time  a  fixed  dietary  is  prescribed.  But  this  system  is  liable  to 
abuse  under  any  conditions.  Pay  your  caretakers  a  sufficient  salary  and 
let  the  provisions  be  supplied  by  contract.  The  invariable  result  is  that  the 
expense  to  the  taxpayers  is  lessened  and  the  food  is  more  satisfactory. 

The  building  is  of  an  old-fashioned  type.  The  windows  are  mere  chinks 
and  the  corridor  is  lighted  by  holes  in  the  roof.  No  lighting  arrangements 
in  the  cells.  Sanitary  arrangements  are  fair,  but  it  seems  necessary  to 
resort  to  a  general  flushing  of  the  waste  pipes  twice  every  day. 

We  should  urge  a  new  prison  if  we  did  not  expect  that  within  a  few 
years  no  convicts  will  be  confined  in  the  present  county  jails. 

The  prisoners  are  in  the  central  hall  or  court  for  eight  hours  every 
day  and  are  allowed  once  weekly  to  spend  an  hour  in  a  rather  dismal  look¬ 
ing  yard.  There  are  168  hours  in  a  week,  fourteen  hours  of  which  the  pris¬ 
oners  spend  in  the  corridors  and  one  hour  in  the  yard. 

Those  who  have  money  may  buy  aditional  provisions  twice  in  the  week. 

A  wooden  door  separates  the  women  from  the  men. 

There  is  abundant  room  in  the  corridor  for  a  table  on  which  the  pris¬ 
oners  might  have  their  meals  served.  Cell  feeding  is  the  regulation. 

One  or  two  of  the  prisoners  assist  in  domestic  service.  It  is  to  the 
credit  of  the  Managers  that  ten  of  the  prisoners  have  been  requisitioned 
for  work  on  the  highways. 

Estimating  the  average  number  of  prisoners  in  1918  at  39  per  diem,  the 
average  annual  cost  to  the  county  of  each  prisoner  was . $228 

The  maximum  sentence  in  this  prison  is  364  days,  and  the  parties  re¬ 
sponsible  for  imposing  a  sentence  to  idleness  for  364  days  ought  to  be  dealt 
with. 

Bread  is  bought,  but  it  would  give  some  employment  to  some  prisoners 
and  result  in  economy  if  they  should  establish  a  bakery  in  the  prison. 

Expense  of  supporting  prisoners  at  other  institutions,  1918. $18, 093 

Expense  of  making  report  to  Board  of  Public  Charities. ...  20 

BRADFORD  COUNTY — Towanda  Visited  Aug.  22,  1919. 

There  were  nine  male  prisoners  on  the  day  of  inspection,  of  whom 
three  were  convicts. 

There  is  no  opportunity  for  exercise  in  the  open  air.  The  prisoners 
have  the  freedom  of  the  corridors  every  day.  Rather  a  gloomy  prison.  The 
county  officials  should  give  early  attention  to  the  bathing  arrangements. 

The  women,  when  they  have  any,  are  segregated  but  must  pass  through 
the  men’s  quarters  in  order  to  reach  their  apartment. 

For  breakfast  and  supper,  they  enjoy  bread,  syrup,  coffee  and  pota¬ 
toes,  and  sometimes  tea.  They  pay  35c  per  pound  for  their  coffee,  hence 
it  is  of  fair  quality.  Meat  is  furnished  for  dinner  three  or  four  times 


liuvks  County 


15 


■weekly.  The  sheriff  receives  40c  a  day  for  each  prisoner  for  the  food  sup¬ 
plied. 

Bedding:  consists  of  mattress  on  springs  with  a  blanket  or  two.  In 
most  civilized  prisons  sheets  and  pillows  are  furnished. 


BUCKS  COUNTY — Doylestown  Visited,  Dec.  12,  1919. 

Prohibition  and  parole  have  decreased  the  number  of  prisoners. 

Here  we  learned  that  one  effect  of  Prohibition  was  to  lessen  the  morale 
of  the  inmates.  Many  of  the  thirty  day  “drunks”  were  a  rather  decent  sort 
when  they  recovered  from  the  effects  of  their  potations.  Those  who  are 
now  confined  have  committed  more  venial  offences  and  are  not  so  trust¬ 
worthy.  Still  we  shall  not  advocate  the  opening  of  the  saloons  in  order 
to  improve  the  morale  of  the  inmates  of  our  prisons. 

There  were  21  male  prisoners  and  two  female  prisoners  on  the  day  of 
inspection.  The  women  are  entirely  separate  from  the  men.  The  main 
wing  for  the  men  consists  of  a  wide  corridor  with  twelve  large  cells  on 
each  side.  Each  cell  has  an  electric  light.  The  windows  are  chinks.  The 
bedding  consist  of  a  fairly  comfortable  mattress  on  iron  slats  with  a 
blanket.  They  ought  to  have  sheets  and  pillows.  They  have  ample  room 
and  time  for  laundry  work.  Twice  a  day  they  are  served  with  bread,  syrup 
and  coffee  mixed  with  some  substitute.  Meat  is  supplied  in  the  shape  of  a 
stew  thrice  each  week  and  bean  soup  furnished  on  other  days.  The  sheriff 
is  paid  40  cents  a  day  per  prisoner  for  supplying  provisions.  He  is  not 
getting  wealthy  as  a  landlord  but  the  system  is  a  vicious  one.  They  have 
a  good  bakery. 

The  sanitary  arrangements  are  antiquated.  Water  is  drawn  in  buckets 
for  flushing  the  closets.  This  system  could  easily  be  changed. 

The  inmates  generally  gain  in  weight.  This  is  in  part  due  to  the 
exercise  which  they  take  daily  in  the  yard.  Daily  the  prisoners  are  in  the 
open  air  for  eight  hours  swinging  sledge  hammers  at  the  stone  pile.  No 
particular  stunt  is  required.  This  feature  in  Bucks  County  is  unique  and  is 
a  vast  improvement  over  the  idleness  so  prevalent  in  the  other  prisons  of 
the  Commonwealth. 


BUTLER  COUNTY— Butler  Visited  June  14,  1919. 

Nineteen  inmates,  all  convicts,  rather  more  than  usual  for  this  county. 
Some  of  them  had  been  guilty  of  the  illicit  sale  of  whiskey. 

They  have  no  yard  for  recreation  and  no  work  to  do. 

Let  other  wardens  note  the  food  program: 

Breakfast — Bread,  butter,  oatmeal  with  milk,  coffee  with  sugar. 

Supper — Bread,  butter,  fruit,  tea. 

Dinner — Soup,  relish,  vegetable,  bread.  Meat  twice  weekly. 

Cooked  and  served  by  the  sheriff’s  wife,  who  is  more  devoted  to  humane 
principles  than  to  pecuniary  profits.  The  prisoners  have  the  privilege  of 
buying  extra  supplies,  but  the  food  supplied  is  ample  for  their  necessities. 
The  sheriff  receives  50c  per  diem  for  each  prisoner  thus  boarded. 

Letters  are  delivered  unopened,  but  letters  going  out  are  inspected.  Let¬ 
ters  ought  to  be  inspected  when  received.  The  prisoners  will  generally 
sign  a  paper  releasing  the  sheriff  from  the  U.  S.  penalty  for  opening  let¬ 
ters,  and  if  the  prisoner  refuses  the  sheriff  will  decline  delivery  till  the 
prisoner  is  released. 

To  confine  nineteen  men  without  work  is  equivalent  to  nineteen  of¬ 
fences  against  the  welfare  of  society. 


16 


Review  of  County  Jails  in  Pennsylvania 


CAMBRIA  COUNTY — Ebensburg  Visited  July  18,  1919. 

Here  we  find  one  of  the  few  well-managed  county  prisons  in  the  State. 
The  Warden  is  appointed  annually  by  the  Prison  Board  and  retains  his  po¬ 
sition  during  good  behavior.  A  sheriff  who  is  not  elected  with  special  ref¬ 
erence  to  his  ability  to  manage  an  institution  can  not  be  expected  to  suc¬ 
ceed  so  well  as  a  prison  manager  as  one  who  is  chosen  for  that  specific 
purpose. 

Food  is  allotted  to  the  prisoners  in  accordance  with  their  classifica¬ 
tion.  Three  classes  of  prisoners  are  recognized.  1.  Vagrants,  drunks,  etc., 
held  for  short  terms.  2.  Those  sentenced  for  a  term  of  several  months 
up  to  three  years.  3.  The  workers. 

Rather  a  scant  portion  is  supplied  to  those  of  the  first  class  mentioned. 
Their  presence  is  not  welcome.  A  sufficiency  of  food  is  given  to  those  of 
the  second  class  who  are  kept  in  enforced  idleness.  The  workers  have 
a  rather  substantial  dietary.  The  average  cost  of  the  food  each  day  for  a 
prisoner  in  1918  was  10.4c.  Note  that,  all  ye  wardens  and  sheriffs,  who  are 
supplying  nothing  better,  and  even  a  more  scanty  supply  of  food,  for  from 


forty  to  fifty  cents  per  day! 

Net  cost  of  the  prison  in  1918 . $22,612 

Overhead  cost  for  each  inmate  by  the  day .  43.3c 


Take  notice,  ye  taxpayers  in  other  counties,  where  the  overhead  cost 
per  prisoner  is  from  $2.00  to  $4.00  per  diem. 

In  1918  the  authorities  granted  permission  to  the  Warden  to  have  some 
prisoners  cultivate  a  few  acres  with  the  result  that  there  were  produced 
potatoes,  onions,  lettuce,  radishes,  peas,  beans,  corn,  turnips,  cabbage,  cu¬ 
cumbers,  cauliflower,  etc.,  to  the  value  of  $1,826,  at  an  expense  of  $636. 
showing  a  clear  profit  of  $1,190,  and  very  greatly  adding  to  the  variety  and 
healthfulness  of  the  daily  menu. 

The  workers  eat  at  tables,  and  if  such  facilities  could  be  provided,  the 
warden  would  gladly  abolish  cell-feeding  altogether. 

There  were  110  men  and  eight  women  incarcerated  on  the  day  of  in¬ 
spection. 

The  average  attendance  in  1918  was  144. 

Some  prisoners  are  paroled,  usually  under  supervision  of  the  warden, 
and  in  1918  the  amount  received  from  paroled  men  in  the  line  of  costs  and 
fines  was  $12,222,  all  of  which  prior  to  the  operation  of  the  parole  law 
would  have  been  lost,  to  say  nothing  of  the  expense  incurred  in  retaining 
in  prison  the  paroled  men  and  also  the  demoralization  resulting  from  con¬ 
finement  in  idleness. 

There  are  two  grievous  faults.  While  the  prisoners  are  allowed  the 
freedom  of  the  corridors  for  several  hours  each  day,  they  have  no  place  of 
exercise  in  the  open  air  and  quite  a  number  are  confined  in  this  institution 
for  one  year  or  longer.  . 

Unemployment  of  over  one-half  of  the  inmates  is  to  be  deplored,  lhe 
ocupations  are,  domestic  service  about  the  plant,  farming  and  some  work 
on  the  roads.  All  very  proper  employment,  but  the  warden’s  best  efforts 
result  in  the  employment  of  less  than  40  per  cent,  of  the  inmates  and  many 
of  these  are  not  continually  at  work.  We  estimate  that  about  30,000  days 
labor  is  wasted  at  this  institution  by  the  system  of  idleness  which  is  forced 
upon  the  county  prisons  of  Pennsylvania.  This  labor  ought  in  some  way 
to  be  utilized.  Now  that  the  contract  system  of  employing  prisoners  has 
been  abolished,  surely  some  method  of  using  this  energy,  now  wasted,  may 
be  devised  which  will  in  a  satisfactory  way  meet  the  objections  of  the 
Knights  of  Labor.  . 

We  nominate  the  warden  of  this  prison  for  the  superintendence  of  one  of 
the  industrial  farms  which  the  Commonwealth  should  soon  establish  for  the 
betterment  of  the  county  convicts. 


CAMBRIA  COUNTY  PRISON. 


Cameron  County 


17 


Through  the  efforts  of  the  warden  a  neat  little  park  has  been  laid 
out  adjacent  to  the  prison,  a  view  of  which  we  are  pleased  to  present  in 
this  issue. 

Prohibition  has  certainly  diminished  the  commitments  in  this  county. 


CAMERON  COUNTY — Emporium  Visited  July  10,  1919. 

Three  prisoners,  two  of  whom  had  been  convicted,  were  found,  who  re¬ 
sided  in  the  basement  of  the  sheriff’s  residence.  No  special  bathroom, 
but  other  sanitary  appliances  reasonably  good.  Mostly  above  ground,  yet 
rather  gloomy  and  damp. 

No  opportunity  for  exercise  in  the  open  air.  The  sum  of  fifty  cents  per 
diem  for  each  prisoner  is  paid  to  the  sheriff,  who  furnishes  a  sufficiency 
of  provision. 

Breakfast — Cereal,  bread,  butter,  coffee,  sugar. 

Supper — The  same  as  above,  except  some  vegetable  instead  of  cereal. 

Dinner — Soup  and  vegetables.  Meat  twice  weekly. 

The  prison  is  good  enough  for  detention  of  a  few  days,  but  if  the 
county  officials  are  intending  to  continue  the  practice  of  sending  men  to 
the  prison  for  one  to  nine  months,  they  need  different  arrangements. 

CARBON  COUNTY— Mauch  Chunk  Visited  Aug.  26,  1919. 

For  many  miles  the  Lehigh  River  flows  through  a  canyon  whose  steep 
walls  are  usually  over  a  thousand  feet  in  height.  At  a  few  places  there 
are  breaks  in  this  wall  when  a  narrow  chasm  with  high  banks  of  its  own 
furnishes  drainage  for  the  upper  country  and  also  access  thereto.  Along 
one  of  these  narrow  valleys  is  built  the  town  of  Mauch  Chunk,  the  county 
seat  of  Carbon  County.  About  one-fourth  of  a  mile  from  the  river,  up 
the  winding  rift  in  the  mountain  side,  is  built  the  county  prison  of  the 
olden  type  with  a  turreted  tower  in  front.  Nineteen  prisoners  were  found 
in  this  gloomy  structure,  where  both  on  account  of  the  hills  on  either  side 
and  the  almost  total  absence  of  skylights,  the  inmates  live  in  the  shadows. 
There  is  a  small  yard,  rather  unkept,  in  which  the  men  occasionally  may 
enjoy  fresh  air.  They  are  generally  allowed  to  remain  for  eight  hours 
each  day  in  the  inner  corridor.  Nine  of  the  men  were  awaiting  trial. 
They  eat  in  cells,  though  there  is  ample  space  in  the  corridor  for  a  table, 
which  at  other  times  could  be  used  as  a  writing  table. 

The  food  program  is  quite  monotonous.  Breakfast  and  supper — Bread, 
molasses,  coffee.  Dinner  on  the  day  of  inspection:  Cabbage,  potatoes, 
meat,  the  latter  being  served  thrice  weekly.  The  sheriff  receives  forty- 
five  cents  daily  for  each  prisoner  supplied  with  food. 


Expenses  of  this  prison  for  the  year  1918 . $3,578 

Expenses  for  convicts  at  other  prisons .  5,242 


The  prisoners  should  have  pillows.  They  are  supplied  with  other 
necessary  bedding. 

One  man  is  serving  a  sentence  of  ten  months.  Entirely  too  long  for 
a  jail  of  this  kind.  The  time  is  hastening  when  it  will  be  impossible  to 
sentence  a  man  or  woman  to  such  a  jail  for  a  longer  time  than  thirty  days. 

CENTRE  COUNTY — Bellefonte  Visited  Aug.  21,  1919. 

Four  prisoners  were  found,  three  of  whom  were  being  detained  for  trial. 
The  average  daily  population  in  1918  was  10J4. 

For  boarding  prisoners  the  sheriff  receives  fifty  cents. 

Total  expenses  for  provisions  in  1918 . $  1,943 

Other  prison  expenses  in  1918 .  1,691 

Expense  for  convicts  in  other  prisons .  10,153 

They  are  supplied  with  sufficient  bedding,  except  sheets. 


Review  of  County  Jails  in  Pennsylvania 


18 


All  day  long  the  prisoners,  unless  by  chance  they  have  a  lunatic  or  a 
dangerous  criminal,  have  the  freedom  of  the  corridor  and  a  small  yard, 
which  they  share  with  the  chickens. 

It  costs  the  county  forty  dollars  to  prepare  the  annual  report  for  the 
Board  of  Public  Charities. 

The  arrangements  for  segregating  the  men  from  the  women  are  un¬ 
satisfactory. 

A  better  skylight  is  needed. 

Prisoners  have  been  employed  in  mowing  the  Court  House  lawn  and 
in  gangs,  under  the  care  of  the  son  of  the  sheriff,  have  worked  on  the  roads. 

The  effort  to  find  employment  for  them  is  commendable,  but  the  prison 
should  be  condemned  as  an  institution  to  which  men  may  be  sentenced  for 
thirty  days  or  more. 

CHESTER  COUNTY — West  Chester  Visited  Oct.  7,  1919. 

One  of  the  best  of  the  older  prisons.  Built  in  1839,  but  now  equipped 
with  modern  improvements.  Heated  by  steam.  A  wing  was  more  recently 
constructed  for  women  prisoners.  This  is  of  concrete  construction  and 
the  ordinary  jail  appearance  is  almost  wholly  lacking. 

There  were  sixty-five  inmates  on  the  day  of  inspection,  of  whom  seven 
were  being  held  for  trial.  Average  daily  population  in  1918,  64. 

The  diet  is  plain,  but  is  cooked  well.  The  men  eat  in  cells  and  it 
would  probably  be  regarded  as  a  serious  innovation  to  have  them  eat  at 
tables  placed  in  the  corridors.  They  manage  to  do  this  in  the  prison  in 
Mercer  County  and  in  Westmoreland  County  to  good  effect. 

They  bake  bread  of  excellent  quality.  1918  1919 

The  total  daily  cost  for  each  prisoner . 53.6c.  63.4c. 

Of  which  the  cost  of  food  was . 18.2c.  19.1c. 

The  cost  in  1919  is  somewhat  higher,  but  it  is  readily  seen  that  a  plain 
menu  need  not  cost  fifty  cents  per  diem.  Prisoners  may  have  fruit  sent  to 
them  or  may  purchase  fruit  only,  if  they  have  money. 

This  prison  is  more  nearly  self-supporting  than  any  prison  in  the 
Commonwealth.  For  many  years  the  earnings  were  sufficient  to  meet 
the  expenses  of  management,  except  the  amount  paid  for  salaries.  All 
the  men  are  at  work,  being  engaged  in  caning  chairs,  weaving  carpet, 
weaving  a  plaid  of  neat  pattern  for  their  uniforms  or  in  domestic  service. 


In  1918  the  sales  of  carpet  amounted  to  $7,255.  1918.  1919. 

Whole  number  sentenced  by  Court .  122  95 

Number  sentenced  for  less  than  one  year .  102  66 

“  “  from  one  to  two  years .  16  20 

“  “  from  two  to  ten  years .  4  9 


So  long  as  regular  work  is  furnished  to  the  inmates  the  Court  is  justi¬ 
fied  in  sending  convicts  to  the  county  prison  rather  than  to  the  peniten¬ 
tiary,  where  just  now  there  is  scant  opportunity  for  employment. 

The  rules  at  one  time  forbade  conversation,  a  rather  absurd  regula¬ 
tion,  but  at  present  the  rule  seems  to  be  honored  in  the  breach  rather  than 
in  the  observance.  To  condemn  men  to  silence  for  some  months  or  years 
is  a  relic  of  barbarism. 

It  is  unfortunate  that  the  institution  has  so  little  space  for  taking 
exercise  in  the  open  air.  Most  of  the  prisoners  are  within  the  walls  of 
the  building  from  the  time  they  enter  until  they  are  discharged.  We 
recommend  that  during  the  religious  services  on  Sabbath  the  prisoners 
be  allowed  to  sit  in  the  corridors. 

CLARION  COUNTY— Clarion  Visited  July  12,  1919. 

In  1918  the  average  number  of  prisoners  held  in  the  county  prison  did 
not  exceed  three  by  the  day.  One  convict  and  one  untried  prisoner  were  held 
on  the  day  of  inspection. 


Clearfield  County 


19 


The  prisoners  receive  an  abundance  of  food,  based  on  the  diet  of  the 
average  fanner,  except  that  recently  the  amount  of  meat  has  been  dimin¬ 
ished.  The  sheriff  is  paid  seventy-five  cents  daily  for  each  prisoner.  Since 
an  act  of  the  State  Legislature  allows  fifty  cents  as  the  maximum  fee, 
we  may  consider  twenty-five  centB  of  the  sum  granted  as  a  compensation 
for  care  and  service. 

There  is  no  yard  attached  to  the  prison.  _ 

The  bedding  is  deficient  in  pillows  and  sheets. 

In  1918  prison  expenses . $  951.00 

“  “  repairs  .  1,821.00 

“  Expenses  for  prisoners  at  other  prisons  .  3,115.00 

CLEARFIELD  COUNTY— Clearfield  Visited  Aug.  30,  1919. 

The  number  of  inmates  was  twenty-six,  of  whom  only  two  were  convicts. 

In  some  counties  there  is  no  court  of  any  kind  during  the  months  of 
July  and  August,  hence  prisoners,  who  are  unable  to  secure  bail,  accumulate 
till  court  opens  in  September  and  in  some  counties  in  October. 

The  structure  is  antique  with  inside  corridor,  poorly  lighted,  but  with 
fair  bedding  and  sanitary  accommodations.  Marking  on  the  walls  should 
be  forbidden. 

The  daily  average  in  1918  was  twenty-one.  Prohibition  has  resulted  in 
greatly  decreasing  the  number.  The  prisoners  have  the  usual  prison  diet, 
for  which  the  sheriff  receives  from  the  county  fifty  cents  daily  for  each 


prisoner. 

The  net  cost  of  maintenance  in  1918 .  $5,106.00 

Annual  cost  each  prisoner .  243.00 

Daily  overhead  cost  each  prisoner .  Plus  .66 


Expense  of  supporting  prisoners  at  other  prisons .  13,722.00 

There  is  no  work  for  the  prisoners,  hence  no  one  should  remain  in  such 
a  place  more  than  thirty  days,  though  they  have  been  sentenced  for  one 
year  of  idleness  in  this  prison.  Such  detention  is  an  outrage. 

CLINTON  COUNTY— Lock  Haven  Visited  Aug.  21,  1919. 

Four  men  and  two  women  were  imprisoned,  one  of  whom  was  held 
for  trial. 

The  daily  average  attendance  in  1918  was  nearly  sixteen  persons,  who 
had  no  employment,  except  occasionally  in  assisting  with  the  housework, 
who  were  allowed  to  spend  a  part  of  every  day  in  the  open  air,  who  ate  the 
better  than  usual  prison  fare  at  a  table,  who  had  no  opportunity  to  take 
a  hot  bath  and  might  remain  there  for  a  year,  and  for  whose  victuals  the 
county  was  charged  fifty  cents  per  diem. 

There  is  a  charge  made  of  twenty  dollars  for  preparing  the  report 
for  the  Board  of  Public  Charities. 

To  maintain  a  prisoner  there  for  one  year  costs  the  taxpayers  $264. 

For  inmates  sent  to  other  prisons  the  county  in  1918  paid  $10,682. 

No  one.  should  be  sentenced  to  this  prison  longer  than  thirty  days. 
Why?  Idleness  spells  demoralization. 

COLUMBIA  COUNTY— Bloomsburg  Visited  July  2,  1919. 

There  were  six  prisoners  at  the  time  of  the  inspection,  one  of  whom 
was  awaiting  trial.  The  average  daily  number  in  1918  was  10  1-3. 

The  cost  of  maintaining  the  prison  in  1918  was  $2,963.48,  or  for  each 
prisoner  the  sum  of  $286.79.  For  a  small  prison  this  is  not  exorbitant. 

The  sheriff  is  to  be  commended  for  his  effort  to  provide  fresh  vege¬ 
tables  for  those  under  his  charge.  Around  the  prison  there  are  a  few 
hundred  square  feet  of  space,  every  available  part  of  which  is  utilized  for 


20 


Review  of  County  Jails  in  Pennsylvania 


garden  or  for  a  poultry  yard.  The  sheriff  receives  a  fee  of  thirty-five 
cents  for  supplying  food,  a  fee  which  is  as  low  as  any  other  prison,  Lebanon 
excepted,  but  with  the  aid  of  his  garden  he  manages  to  keep  within  his  allow¬ 
ance.  Meat  is  supplied  once  a  week  in  the  summer  time. 

To  make  out  the  report  for  the  Board  of  Public  Charities  costs  ten 
dollars. 

For  prisoners  sent  to  other  prisons  the  charges  in  1918 . $4,919. 

While  we  may  deplore  the  lack  of  regular  employment,  in  consideration 
of  the  efforts  of  the  caretaker  to  find  some  work  for  the  men  and  to  give 
them  opportunity  for  recreation  in  the  open  air,  there  are  some  redeeming 
features  to  chronicle  about  this  prison. 

CRAWFORD  COUNTY — Meadville  Visited  July  14.  1919. 

No  prisoner  was  confined  in  this  prison  on  the  day  of  visitation. 

The  average  number  the  year  previous  was  fifteen. 

Some  forty  or  fifty  have  been  released  on  probation  and  a  few  on  parole. 

Prohibition  is  having  its  anticipated  result. 

Even  with  a  fairly  good  bill  of  fare,  the  institution  has  no  boarders. 

Breakfast — Bread,  coffee,  cereal,  milk,  sugar. 

Supper — Bread,  tea  and  some  relish. 

Dinner — Meat  two  or  three  times  weekly.  Vegetables  always. 

The  fee,  forty-three  cents. 

The  total  expense  in  1918 . $2,850.00 

Or  annual  expense  each  prisoner .  190.00 

They  send  more  of  their  prisoners  to  other  institutions  as  the 
bill  may  signify .  9,296.51 

As  there  is  no  employment,  the  court  should  send  as  many  as  possible 
elsewhere.  No  yard,  but  freedom  of  corridors  is  allowed.  The  cells  are 
cages. 

CUMBERLAND  COUNTY— Carlisle  Visited  Aug.  5,  1919. 

Seven  men  and  one  woman  were  languishing  in  this  jail  with  plenty  of 
time  to  consider  their  sins. 

They  lounge  about  the  inside  corridor  most  of  the  day,  but  are  taken 
out  in  the  yard  for  one  hour  daily. 

They  assist  in  domestic  duties. 

They  engage  in  unhallowed  conversation. 

They  remain  here  from  a  few  days  to  one  year. 

The  reformatory  influences  are  scant. 

For  breakfast  and  supper  they  receive  one-half  of  a  pound  loaf  and 
some  warm  drink  brewed  from  a  mixture  containing  a  goodly  proportion  of 
coffee.  For  dinner  a  meat  stew  with  vegetables.  Fee  in  1918  was  30c;  in 
1919,  35c.  The  turnkey  takes  additional  orders  from  those  who  have  the 
cash. 

The  bedding  is  deficient  in  sheets  and  pillows. 

The  redeeming  feature  is  the  use  made  of  the  parole  privileges.  In 
1918,  41  prisoners  were  placed  on  parole.  Probably  only  those  were 
detained  who  were  awaiting  trial  or  who  were  deemed  to  be  unworthy  of 
parole. 

It  would  be  both  economy  and  a  blessing  if  an  acre  or  two  could  be 
secured  where  the  prisoners  could  produce  a  large  part  of  their  sustenance. 


DAUPHIN  COUNTY — Harrisburg  Visited  June  17,  1919. 

For  jail  population  this  County  ranks  third  in  the  Commonwealth. 

On  the  day  of  inspection  tnere  were  134  men  and  13  women,  nearly  all 
of  whom  were  serving  an  imposed  sentence,  some  for  a  few  days,  some  for 


Dauphin  County 


21 


one  year  or  more.  Thirty-two  of  the  prisoners  were  employed  in  domestic 
duties.  Some  had  been  employed  on  the  State  Highways  under  appropriate 
guard,  and  had  earned  at  the  rate  of  25c  per  diem  the  sum  of  $1053.  A 
few  had  been  employed  on  the  almshouse  farm.  The  warden  had  exerted 
himself  to  find  employment,  and  yet  nearly  three-fourths  of  the  inmates 
have  wasted  their  energies  and  undermined  their  morale  in  listless  inactivity. 
In  this  prison  about  30,000  days  annually  are  frittered  away.  Good  busi¬ 
ness  sense  would  contrive  some  way  whereby  these  men  would  earn  their 
sustenance.  The  cost  of  their  maintenance  in  1918  was  $31,061. 

Will  the  people,  or  the  voters  of  Dauphin  County,  continue  for  year 
after  year  to  pay  the  bills  for  the  manufacture  of  criminals,  or  will  they  by 
the  aid  of  common  sense,  devise  some  method  whereby  these  malefactors 
may  work  out  their  own  salvation  and  maintenance?  The  problem  is  not 
insoluble. 

The  inmates  breakfast  and  sup  on  bread,  coffee  and  syrup. 

They  dine  on  soup,  meat,  vegetables,  invariably. 

They  bake  bread  in  the  prison,  and  the  quality  is  fine. 

Food  is  supplied  at  cost  price,  the  fee  system  having  been  abolished  in 
1913.  The  prisoners  may  buy  certain  standard  foods  and  may  purchase  or 
receive  any  sort  of  tobacco,  except  cigarettes,  which  are  strictly  barred. 

There  is  a  small  yard  in  which  they  exercise  for  an  hour  or  two  daily. 

The  bedding  lacks  the  complete  paraphernalia. 

The  Court  at  Harrisburg  is  not  convinced  of  the  benefit  of  parole.  An 
invalid  may  be  paroled.  Some  are  released  on  probation. 

The  old  law  for  imprisonment  for  non-payment  of  fines  appears  to  be  in 
vogue.  Unless  the  fine  is  paid,  the  finee  spends  thirty  days  in  prison,  if 
fifteen  dollars  or  less;  ninety  days,  if  over  fifteen  dollarsfl  Many  counties 
allow  those  who  are  unable  to  pay  fines  to  be  released  on  promise  of  paying 
a  small  amount  each  week  or  month,  and  in  this  way  some  counties  have 
collected  thousands  of  dollars  which  otherwise  would  have  been  lost.  Let 
us  suppose  that  a  man  is  fined  twenty  dollars.  In  default  of  payment  he  is 
committed  to  prison.  The  county  loses  the  fine  and  pays  the  board  of  the 
man  so  long  as  he  is  imprisoned.  Suppose  he  is  released  on  condition  of 
paying  the  fine  at  rate  of  one  dollar  weekly.  In  nine  cases  out  of  ten  the 
fine  is  paid.  Which  is  the  better  way  for  both  the  man  and  the  county? 
Which  method  is  the  more  sensible?  Which  plan  evinces  greater  business 
sagacity? 

It  seems  that  the  land  w'as  granted  to  the  county  to  be  used  as  a  prison. 
This  plot  may  revert  to  heirs  if  the  prison  is  removed.  We  venture  this  sug¬ 
gestion.  Retain  the  prison  as  a  place  of  detention  for  those  awaiting  trial 
or  bail,  and  for  those  sentenced  for  a  few  days.  Establish  some  comfortable 
barracks  on  some  farm  in  the  vicinity  where  the  convicts  are  to  be  sent. 
Prison  farms  are  annually  increasing  in  number  and  they  are  sometimes 
remunerative.  Quarrying,  stone-crushing,  and  one  or  more  industries  in 
addition  to  agriculture  should  give  ample  employment.  If  the  returns  al¬ 
low,  the  inmates  should  share  the  proceeds.  Adjacent  counties  could  make 
contracts  to  have  their  convicts  sent  to  said  Industrial  Farm.  This  plan  is 
not  novel  in  Pennsylvania.  A  number  of  counties  in  the  western  part  of  the 
State  send  convicts  to  the  Allegheny  County  Workhouse.  In  the  year  1918 
the  receipts  at  this  Workhouse  for  caring  for  prisoners  from  other  counties 
were  $52,812,  and  there  were  still  due  $13,380. 

In  due  time  the  labor  of  the  prisoners  may  be  utilized  in  constructing 
more  substantial  concrete  buildings  if  the  farm  proposition  is  adopted. 

DELAWARE  COUNTY— Media  Visited  Nov.  11,  1919. 

The  prison  is  antiquated.  The  present  warden  has  put  in  new  skylights, 
has  greatly  improved  the  sanitary  arrangements  and  has  taken  the  looms 


•» 


Review  of  County  Jails  in  Pennsylvania 


from  the  cells  to  a  separate  building  in  the  jail  yard.  What  is  needed  is  an 
entirely  new  plant,  or  at  least  a  thorough  renovation  within  the  walls. 

Every  part  from  cellar  to  garret  needs  reconstruction.  They  ought  to 
have  entirely  separate  quarters  for  the  women  prisoners. 

Shall  a  new  and  elaborate  prison  be  built  at  the  present  site?  No. 

The  plot  of  ground  is  too  cramped  for  the  best  type  of  modem  prison. 
The  structural  iron  men  are  cunning  and  are  able  advocates  of  their  handi¬ 
craft.  There  is  room  for  a  4-story  structure  of  iron  and  steel  and  some  to 
spare.  They  can  put  a  lot  of  cages  with  every  device  for  security  and  the 
convenience  of  the  keepers.  They  can  guarantee  light,  warmth,  sanitation. 
And  when  it  is  all  done,  you  will  have  a  palace  suitable  for  a  collection  of 
lions,  chimpanzees,  catamounts  and  hyenas.  It  is  difficult  for  any  civil¬ 
izing  influence  to  penetrate  into  such  a  structure. 

The  expense  is  too  great  for  the  erection  of  a  style  of  building  which 
already  in  many  quarters  is  being  condemned. 

Build  some  dormitories  suitable  for  those  who  are  detained  for  trial 
or  who  are  held  for  a  few  days.  You  will  need  some  cells  for  the  lunatics 
and  the  obstreperous.  Some  part  of  the  old  buildings  can  possibly  be  altered 
for  this  purpose. 

Buy  a  farm.  Erect  reinforced  concrete  buildings  thereon,  using  the 
prisoners  to  do  most  of  the  work.  It  will  take  from  three  to  five  years  to 
get  the  farm  and  buildings  ready  to  receive  all  the  convicts.  Meanwhile 
the  products  of  the  farm  will  furnish  most  of  the  provision  for  the  prison¬ 
ers.  The  expense  of  this  operation  will  extend  over  some  years  and  should 
impose  no  great  addition  to  the  taxes.  Much  of  the  material  for  construc¬ 
tion  will  be  found  on  the  farm.  Men  will  live  in  the  meantime  in  cottages, 
in  semi-barracks.  They  will  have  regular  employment  and  will  be  subject 
to  such  rules  as  apply  to  labor  in  any  well-regulated  community.  They  will 
have  a  sort  of  communal  life.  This  is  no  idle  dream,  for  the  experiment 


has  been  successfully  tried.  In  time  the  institution  should  be  self-sup 
porting. 

The  net  cost  of  maintenance  was  reported  in  1918  to  be. . .  .$50,071 

The  average  daily  population  was .  143 

The  annual  cost  of  each  inmate  almost .  $350 


In  the  State  of  Indiana,  the  farm  for  county  convicts  cuts  the  cost  of 
maintaining  the  convicts  about  one-half  at  the  end  of  the  third  year.  After 
five  years  of  operation,  the  cost  was  reduced  to  one-third  of  the  former 
cost.  The  greatest  gain  arose  from  the  restoring  effects  of  the  new  treat¬ 
ment.  Recidivism  has  greatly  decreased. 

Find  your  man.  It  takes  a  person  of  force  and  enthusiasm  to  push 
this  project  to  a  successful  consummation. 

The  cost  of  the  food  for  each  prisoner  per  diem  in  1918  was  17c. 

Whatever  may  be  built,  it  is  to  be  hoped  the  prisoners  will  eat  at  tables 
in  the  new  structure.  The  food  appears  to  be  sufficient.  From  the  farm 
which  they  have  rented  they  get  an  abundance  of  milk,  so  that  is  very  often 
served  for  a  part  of  the  dinner.  They  bake  bread.  The  privilege  of  pur¬ 
chasing  additional  articles  of  food  is  not  granted.  Where  the  food  is  suf¬ 
ficient  and  nourishing,  it  is  better  that  the  prisoners  should  not  be  pam¬ 
pered  with  additional  supplies.  Suitable  food  is  given  to  invalids. 

The  convicts  wear  plain  suitings  of  cloth  woven  at  the  prison. 

The  sales  of  carpets  and  rugs  in  1918  amounted  to . $18,776 

They  have  religious  services  every  Sabbath,  during  which  the  prisoners 
Temain  in  their  cells.  The  minister  does  not  see  his  hearers  but  his  voice 
is  supposed  to  reach  into  the  cells,  the  door  of  which  is  open  a  hand 
breadth.  This  is  an  obsolete  practice  which  will  probably  be  discontinued 
when  the  new  buildings  are  constructed,  and  a  new  regime  inaugurated. 


Elk  County 


23 


ELK  COUNTY — Ridgway  Visited  July  11,  1919. 

Population — Nine  men,  one  woman,  six  of  whom  were  convicts. 

On  the  day  of  inspection,  the  following  menu  was  served: 

Breakfast— Bread,  coffee,  cereal,  milk. 

Supper — Bread,  coffee,  beans. 

Dinner — Potatoes,  tomatoes,  bread.  (Meat  is  served  four  times  each 
week). 

The  menu  is  subject  to  change  every  day.  The  sheriff  receives  a  fee, 

50c. 

No  opportunity  for  exercise  in  the  open  air.  No  employment. 

Prison  built  1888.  A  steel  centre  with  inside  corridor  to  which  the  pris¬ 
oners  have  access  during  the  day,  and  an  outside  corridor  around  tho  cages 
to  which  they  have  rare  access. 

The  prisoners  have  good  bedding  on  iron  cots  and  their  linen  is  washed 
weekly. 

Convicts  may  remain  here  in  reasonable  comfort,  but  in  absolute  unem¬ 
ployment  for  one  year.  Such  sentences  are  indefensible.  If  the  counties 
will  not  provide  properly  for  the  offenders,  the  Commonwealth  will  provide 
for  them.  They  are  arrested  for  committing  crimes  against  the  “peace  and 
dignity  of  the  Commonwealth,”  not  against  the  county.  Perhaps,  most  of 
the  counties  will  be  much  pleased  to  have  the  State  deal  with  all  offenders. 

ERIE  COUNTY— Erie  Visited  July  14,  1919. 

A  large  coop  without  yard.  Four  stories  of  steel  cages,  each  range  of 
nine  cells  with  narrow  corridor  facing  a  larger  area  extending  to  the  outer 
wall  and  as  high  as  the  topmost  range.  Sufficiently  secure.  The  prisoners 
usually  in  each  range  have  the  freedom  of  the  narrow  strip  in  front  of  the 
nine  cells  of  the  range.  Here  a  prisoner  may  be  “cribbed,  cabined  and  con¬ 
fined”  for  one  year.  Incontrovertibly,  a  wrong  policy.  The  cubicle  in  which 
he  sleeps  contains  384  square  feet,  and  sometimes  it  happens  that  two  men 
must  be  confined  for  the  night  in  one  of  these  cells. 

Population  59  men,  11  women. 

Average  daily  population  in  1918  estimated  at  113. 

Breakfast— Bread,  coffee.  Supper — Bread,  tea. 

Dinner — Soups  almost  daily.  Concocted  with  some  reference  to  calory 
value.  One-half  pound  meat  four  times  weekly. 

For  preparing  and  serving  these  meals  the  daily  fee  is  fifty  cents.  The 
sheriff’s  recompense  formerly  was  three  dollars  per  week,  but  was  raised 
in  May,  1919,  to  $3.50.  It  appears  that  the  sheriff  in  this  county  is  expected 
to  earn  a  portion  of  his  living  by  the  profit  from  boarding  the  prisoners, 
and  probably  to  meet  from  the  same  profit  some  of  the  jail  expenses.  Mak¬ 
ing  some  estimate  in  accordance  with  figures  furnished  by  some  other  of  the 
larger  prisons  where  the  actual  cost  of  the  food  is  paid  by  the  county,  the 
profits  on  boarding  the  prisoners  may  be  estimated  at  from  eight  to  ten 
thousand  dollars  per  annum.  This  may  not  be  considered  an  undue  recom¬ 
pense  if  the  sheriff’s  obligations  are  to  be  taken  into  account.  But  the 
system  is  utterly  wrong.  As  soon  as  possible  an  arrangement  should  be 
made  whereby  the  county  may  pay  the  exact  cost  of  the  food  and  may  re¬ 
ward  the  sheriff  by  some  other  method.  It  will  be  found  that  the  county  is 
the  gainer  by  such  arrangement  and  that  the  prisoners  will  not  suffer. 

The  net  cost  of  maintaining  the  county  prison  in  1918 . $29,539 

(This  sum  includes  the  commitment  and  discharge  fees.) 

The  average  annual  cost  of  each  prisoner  approximately...  $261 

We  are  glad  to  learn  that  many  citizens  of  Erie  County  are  studying 
the  penal  problem  as  it  looms  up  in  Erie  County.  They  are  ready  to  estab¬ 
lish  an  Industrial  Farm  if  other  counties  in  their  district  will  unite  with 
them.  Economy  and  social  justice  are  involved  in  solving  the  problem. 


Review  of  County  Jails  in  Pennsylvania 


24 

Making:  the  annual  report  to  the  Board  of  Public  Charities. 


costs  .  $40 

Erie  County  has  a  large  bill  to  pay  for  the  offenses  of  its  citizens. 

For  transportation  and  suppoi't  at  other  institutions . $49,320 

Total  annual  cost . $78,869 

A  prison  bakery  would  furnish  useful  employment  to  a  few  prison 
and  would  in  addition  prove  to  be  an  economical  measure. 


This  does  not  include  numerous  court  expenses  directly  connected  with 
the  dispensation  of  justice  to  misdemeanants. 

We  are  sure  that  a  large  part  of  this  expense  will  be  saved  by  the  es¬ 
tablishment  of  an  Industrial  Farm  for  convicts. 

A  few  prisoners  have  been  paroled  who  make  reports  to  officials  desig¬ 
nated  by  the  Court.  Forty-four  offenders  were  sent  to  the  Allegheny  Work- 
house  for  whose  support  the  county  pays  probably,  85c  per  diem.  If  any 
of  these  are  convicted  of  desertion,  the  county  pays  an  additional  65c  per 
diem  to  the  plaintiff.  For  this  purpose  only  $62.40  was  paid  in  1918. 

(For  comparison,  see  reports  for  Fayette  and  Luzerne  Counties.) 


FAYETTE  COUNTY — Uniontown  Visited  July  17,  1919. 

Number  of  prisoners  on  the  day  of  inspection . 124 

Average  daily  number  of  prisoners  in  1918 . 115 


This  prison  is  under  the  care  of  a  warden  and  the  bills  for  provisions 
are  paid  by  the  Commissioners.  The  warden  receives  a  salary  and  is  not 
obliged  to  support  himself  and  family  by  the  profits  of  boarding  the  pris¬ 
oners  on  a  fee  system.  Until  the  last  two  or  three  years,  it  was  the  custom 
to  furnish  to  the  prisoners  only  two  meals  daily.  On  the  day  of  visitation 
there  was  the  usual  prison  breakfast,  namely,  bread  and  coffee.  Dinner — 
Beans  and  potatoes.  Supper — Vegetable  soup  with  meat,  bread.  Liberal  al¬ 
lowance  of  meat  on  the  Sabbath.  Probably  not  as  much  meat  is  served  as 
in  the  prison  at  Erie,  still  some  comparison  will  be  interesting.  The  aver¬ 
age  daily  number  of  prisoners  was  nearly  the  same  in  1918  in  each  county. 
In  Fayette  County  the  daily  cost  of  the  food  per  prisoner  was  21c 
In  Erie  County  the  taxpayers  are  charged  daily  for  each 


prisoner  . 60c 

Including  all  expenses  of  the  prison  the  annual  cost  per  pris¬ 
oner  in  Fayette  County . $164 

Including  all  expenses  of  the  prison  the  annual  cost  per  pris¬ 
oner  in  Erie  County . $261 


Remember  that  Erie  County  uses  the  fee  system  and  the  figures  above 
quite  clearly  indicate  that  the  additional  $97  for  each  prisoner  paid  by 
Erie  County  is  almost  directly  the  result  of  the  fee  system.  Erie  County 
pays  over  $17,000  more  than  Fayette  County  each  year,  a  sum  which  for  the 
most  part  represents  the  profits  arising  from  boarding  the  prisoners  at  50c 
per  day  instead  of  paying  the  actual  cost  of  the  provisions  supplied.  Why 
do  not  the  Commissioners  or  the  Prison  Board  of  Erie  County  abolish  the  fee 
system?  Surely  it  is  not  to  be  supposed  that  an  efficient  Board  would  per¬ 
petuate  a  system  in  order  to  reward  some  astute  politician.  The  practice 
may  be  due  to  dense  ignorance.  Note  that  the  total  expenses  in  Fayette 
County  include  the  salaries  paid  to  the  warden  and  his  assistants.  Moral: 
Let  the  authorities  in  Erie  County  divorce  the  management  of  the  prison 
from  the  office  of  the  sheriff  and  employ  a  warden,  who  will  perform  his 
duties  for  a  salary.  Result  will  be  greater  economy  and  no  temptation  to 
stint  the  supply  of  food. 

In  Fayette  County  prison  there  are  no  employments  other  than  domestic. 

We  recommend  that,  as  a  measure  of  economy,  they  construct  a 
bakery,  and  cease  to  buy  bread. 


Forest  County 


2  5 


But  efforts  have  been  made  to  find  employment  outside  of  the  prison 
walls.  In  1918,  132  prisoners  worked  on  the  roads,  and  194  worked  on 
farms.  No  wages  were  paid;  however,  the  sentence  of  a  worker  was  short¬ 
ened  one  day  for  each  day  he  worked.  We  recommend  this  plan  to  the 
notice  of  judges  and  parole  officers  throughout  the  State. 

Occasionally  the  county  pays  65c  daily  to  the  plaintiff  in  cases  of  con¬ 
viction  for  non-support.  In  1918  the  amount  thus  paid  was  $135.20. 

A  number  of  prisoners  have  been  paroled,  generally  to  attorneys.  If 
this  plan  means  that  a  prisoner  with  money  has  better  opportunities  for 
parole  than  a  penniless  convict,  we  would  remind  the  citizens  that  justice 
ought  to  be  meted  out  to  rich  and  poor  alike. 

There  is  no  yard  for  exercise.  During  the  day  the  inmates  may  spend 
much  of  the  time  in  social  amenities  in  the  corridors. 

Except  for  an  ample  supply  of  blankets,  the  bedding  is  scant. 


The  commitments  in  1918  were  2,622. 

Net  cost  of  maintaining  County  Prison  in  1918 . $18,614.88 

Expenses  for  inmates  in  other  prisons . $42,939.23 

Total  annual  cost  for  inmates  of  penal  institutions . $61,554.11 


FOREST  COUNTY — Tionesta  Visited  Aug.  19,  1919. 


Number  of  prisoners  confined  on  day  of  inspection .  0 

Average  daily  number  of  county  prisoners  in  1918 .  0 

Cost  of  boarding  the  prisoners  in  1918 .  0 


It  has  not  been  difficult  to  tabulate  the  criminal  statistics  in  Forest 
County. 

If  the  sheriff  should  have  any  prisoners  he  would  feed  them  from  his 
own  table  and  charge  the  county  50c  daily  for  each  prisoner  boarded. 

The  prison  is  a  part  of  the  residence  of  the  sheriff,  and  the  vacant 
rooms  testify  to  the  absence  of  criminal  proceedings.  The  three  P’s,  Proba¬ 
tion,  Parole  and  Prohibition,  have  aided  in  emptying  the  jail. 


FRANKLIN  COUNTY — Chambersburg  Visited  Aug.  5,  1919. 

There  were  25  male  prisoners  on  the  day  of  our  visit.  The  daily  aver¬ 
age  number  in  1918  was  nearly  30. 

Annual  cost  of  maintaining  a  prisoner  in  1918  was  $215. 

The  sheriff  receives  35c  daily  for  each  vagrant  he  supplies  with  food, 
and  40c  for  other  prisoners  who  are  supposed  to  be  of  higher  rank. 

Total  expense  per  day  for  each  prisoner  averages  about  59c,  which  is 
considerably  lower  than  most  counties.  The  provision  cost  is  often  less  than 
one-fourth  the  other  expenses,  indicating  more  princely  salaries  or  more 
luxurious  accommodations.  Here  the  cost  of  provisions  is  nearly  60  per 
cent,  of  the  total  cost,  proving  an  economical  administration. 

At  this  prison  for  breakfast  and  supper,  bread  and  coffee  are  served. 
For  dinner,  vegetable  soup  enlivened  with  meat  twice  weekly.  Vagrants 
have  a  more  simple  diet. 

The  prison  is  a  three-story  structure  with  cells  placed  back  to  back,  thus 
making  two  distinct  divisions.  In  the  lower  story  the  cells  open  directly 
upon  an  outside  corridor.  The  upper  ranges  open  upon  narrow  corridors 
communicating  by  stairways  with  the  main  area. 

Happiness  did  not  reign  at  the  time  of  the  visit.  Some  prisoners  had 
been  using  the  wire  taken  from  the  spring  cots  in  the  endeavor  to  dig  or 
excavate  their  way  to  an  unlawful  freedom.  So  nearly  all  prisoners  were 
confined  in  their  cells,  the  furniture  mostly  being  removed  therefrom.  The 
prisoners  had  a  blanket  on  the  floor,  and  were  without  other  furnishings. 

At  a  previous  visit  the  relations  between  keepers  and  prisoners  were  the 
reverse  of  cordial.  When  the  prisoners  are  “good,”  they  are  allowed  the 
freedom  of  the  main  area  from  6.30  A.  M.  to  9  P.  M.  Those  wardens  get 


26 


Review  of  County  Jail*  in  Pennsylvania 


along  with  less  friction  and  worriment  who  establish  pleasant  relations 
with  the  prisoners.  A  tactful  guardian  adopts  such  a  policy. 

Information  was  given  that  the  forbidding  dungeons  with  strap  and 
chains  were  no  longer  used. 

The  prison  is  rather  insecure. 

Other  than  a  little  domestic  assistance,  there  is  no  employment.  Pris¬ 
oners  are  rarely  kept  more  than  a  few  months.  The  confinement  of  hu¬ 
man  beings  without  employment  even  for  a  few  days  has  demoralizing,  de¬ 
generating  tendencies. 

The  county  official  whose  duty  it  is  to  collect  fines  from  those  who  are 
released  with  privilege  of  paying  fines  and  costs  by  instalments  reports 
failure.  Too  often  the  finees  abscond.  They  work  it  better  in  many  other 
counties. 

FULTON  COUNTY — McConnellsburg  Visited  Sept.  13,  1919. 

Nobody  in  prison.  No  one  goes  to  prison  in  this  county,  except  in  very 
rare  instances.  Total  expense  in  1918  was  $392.  For  prisoners  sent  to  the 
penitentiary  the  cost  was  $752.  Total  criminal  expense  for  maintenance  was 
$1,144. 

The  prison  is  a  shabby  structure  connected  with,  or  a  part  of,  the  res¬ 
idence  of  sheriff  who  supplies  a  prisoner  from  his  own  table  at  rate  of  fifty 
cents  per  diem.  A  rule  of  a  former  sheriff  forbade  the  purchase  of  addi¬ 
tional  provisions  except  candy.  There  is  an  upper  floor,  a  lower  floor  and 
a  dusty  weedy  yard.  As  a  place  of  confinement  for  human  beings,  this 
prison  except  for  a  very  brief  interval  should  not  be  used.  No  bathing  fa¬ 


cilities.  Lighted  at  night  by  a  coal  oil  lamp. 

GREENE  COUNTY— Waynesburg  Visited  July  16,  1919. 

Average  daily  number  of  prisoners  in  1918 . 3  Yi 

Number  of  prisoners  day  of  inspection . 0 

Five  cells  for  men,  two  for  women. 


Good  bathing  arrangements,  but  no  toilet  in  cells.  The  Commissioners 
should  improve  the  sanitary  accommodations. 

Neither  sheets  nor  pillow  cases  furnished. 

A  small  amount  of  tobacco  is  supplied  to  each  prisoner  who  so  desires. 

No  employment  of  note. 

Prisoners  eat  at  table  and  are  supplied  from  sheriff's  own  cuisine,  ex¬ 
cept  meat  is  a  part  of  the  dietary  only  twice  weekly.  Fee  system,  the  sher¬ 
iff  receiving  50c  per  diem.  Prisoners  spend  the  days  in  the  corridors,  there 
being  no  yard  attached. 

The  preparation  of  the  report  for  State  Board  of  Public  Charities  costs 

$20.00. 

The  prison  should  be  used  only  as  a  place  of  temporary  detention. 

HUNTINGDON  COUNTY— Huntingdon  Visited  July  18,  1919. 

On  the  day  of  inspection  there  were  19  male  prisoners,  of  whom  four 
were  being  held  for  trial.  If  the  county  is  expecting  to  entertain  twenty  or 
more  inmates  by  the  year  in  this  institution,  they  should  build  a  prison  with 
improved  accommodations.  For  an  old  prison  it  is  not  superlatively  bad. 
The  cells  have  an  outside  window  chink,  the  doors  opening  into  a  corridor 
from  which  there  is  access  to  a  walled  garden  to  which  there  is  free  admis¬ 
sion  for  the  inmates.  Tub  and  shower  bath,  fair  ventilation,  poorly  lighted, 
bedding  consisting  of  mattress,  blanket  and  pillow  on  iron  slats.  The  parole 
law  is  occasionally  invoked.  Under  the  fee  system — 45c  being  paid.  The 
meals  are  better  than  are  usually  supplied.  In  addition  to  the  customary 
“bread  'n  coffee”  breakfasts  and  suppers,  they  supply  hominy  for  breakfast 
and  frankfurters  for  supper.  Soup  with  vegetables  for  dinner  with  meat  at 
times. 


Indiana  County 


The  Court  sometimes  sentences  a  prisoner  here  for  one  year.  This  is  an 
absolutely  wrong  practice,  since  there  is  no  employment  except  peeling  po¬ 
tatoes,  scrubbing  floors,  and  the  like. 

INDIANA  COUNTY— Indiana  Visited  July  18,  1919. 

Seven  men  and  one  woman  were  incarcerated,  the  woman  being  remote 
from  the  men.  A  three-story  set  of  cages  with  doors  opening  on  an  interior 
corridor,  with  an  outside  corridor  around  the  cages,  the  whole  enclosed 
by  wall  and  roof.  The  same  fee  is  paid  for  feeding  the  prisoners  as  in 
Huntingdon  County,  but  the  daily  bill  of  fare  is  inferior.  “Bread  ’n’  coffee” 
breakfasts  and  suppers,  vegetable  dinners  with  meat  once  a  week.  As  in 
most  prisons,  the  inmates,  if  in  funds  to  do  so,  may  purchase  extra  sup¬ 
plies  or  their  friends  may  furnish  their  needs.  The  sentences  are  not  over 
six  or  seven  months,  and  even  such  sentences  are  entirely  too  long  for  a 
man  or  woman  to  be  detained  in  idleness  at  the  expense  of  the  county.  The 
inmates  assist  in  the  laundry  and  in  keeping  the  place  commendably  clean. 

The  net  cost  of  maintaining  the  prison  in  1918 .  $5,773 

Maintenance  of  prisoners  sent  to  other  institutions . $11,535 

Total  maintenance  of  prisoners . $17,308 

JEFFERSON  COUNTY— Brook ville  Visited  July  11,  1919. 

An  old  prison  with  nineteen  cells. 

Three  men  confined,  all  held  for  trial. 

The  average  daily  number  of  prisoners  1918  was  6. 

The  fee  system  is  in  vogue,  48c  being  paid.  For  this  amount  per  diem 
the  sheriff  supplies  a  prisoner  with  bread,  coffee,  molasses  and  fried  mush 
for  breakfast.  Same  without  mush  for  supper,  and  a  vegetable  dinner,  en¬ 
livened  with  meat  once  weekly. 

The  overhead  cost  daily  for  each  prisoner  is  about  95c,  or  by  the  year 
$347.  The  cost  of  maintenance  of  the  prison  1918,  $2,048.  For  maintenance 
in  other  prisons,  the  county  paid  $5,870.  Light,  ventilation,  toilet  and  bath¬ 
ing  facilities,  all  satisfactory,  but  the  bedding  is  fair  only. 

There  is  no  employment,  hence  a  confinement  of  a  few  days  is  amply 
sufficient  for  such  a  prison. 

JUNIATA  COUNTY — Miffiintown  Visited  Sept.  9,  1919. 

One  convict  and  one  untried  prisoner  were  confined  in  this  dismal  jail 
on  the  day  of  inspection.  There  are  six  cells  in  an  upper  story  opening  into 
a  central  hall.  It  was  reported  that  the  average  daily  number  held  in  1918 
in  this  unsanitary  institution  was  over  nine.  There  is  absolutely  no  place 
for  women  except  in  one  of  these  cells  which  may  be  locked  day  and  night. 
In  three  of  the  cells  there  are  some  sanitary  accommodations,  in  the  others 
at  night  the  bucket  system  is  in  use.  There  is  one  large  cell  into  which 
they  throw  vagrants  and  ride-stealing  passengers  which  are  evicted  from  the 
rods  and  platforms  of  the  cars  on  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad.  This  large 
cell  has  neither  bedding  nor  sanitary  accommodations.  The  room  is  usually 
filthy  and  can  not  be  kept  decent  with  any  occupants.  No  truly  civilized 
community  should  tolerate  such  a  prison. 

Let  the  Commissioners  speedily  authorize  the  construction  of  a  small 
secure  jail  with  a  small  yard  and  a  stone  pile.  Set  the  vagrants  to  work 
in  crushing  stone  for  the  highways. 

The  overhead  daily  cost  of  each  prisoner  is  about  65c,  of  which  th« 
sums  35c,  45c,  50c  respectively  are  paid  for  the  daily  sustenance. 

Vagrants  and  illegal  train-riders  are  supplied  with  a  scant  dietary  at 
a  daily  cost  of  35c.  What  marks  the  distinction  between  the  45c  and  the 
60c  daily  portions  deponent  saith  not.  At  any  rate  they  get  a  cooked  din- 


28 


Review  of  County  Jails  in  Pennsylvania 


ner  every  other  day,  alternating  with  some  bread,  coffee  and  something  or 
other.  There  is  one  bath,  not  available  for  the  ti-ain  riders  who  need  it 
most™  The  ventilation  is  poor,  there  is  one  electric  light  in  the  hall  and  the 
bedding  in  the  better  cells  seems  to  lack  sheets  and  pillow  cases.  There  is.  a 
dungeon  which  we  trust  is  rarely  or  never  used.  The  iixstitution  itself  is 
dungeon  enough. 

It  is  more  than  possible  that  the  jail  in  Juniata  county  is  the  worst  in 
the  State. 

Net  cost  of  maintaining  the  jail  in  1918 . $1,525 

A  report  issued  by  the  county  officials  places  the  expense  of  mainte¬ 
nance  at  the  Western  Penitentiary  and  the  Asylum  at  $3,878,  but  thei*e 
seemed  to  be  no  way  of  ascertaining  what  part  of  this  sum  was  for  convicts. 

Fines  are  usually  collected  by  the  sheriff,  to  whom  a  commission  is  paid. 

LACKAWANNA  COUNTY — Scranton  Visited  July  3,  1919. 

One  of  the  large  county  prisons  of  the  Commonwealth. 

Number  of  prisoners  on  the  day  of  inspection  was  95,  ten  of  whom  wei'e 
women.  Thirty-seven  were  being  held  till  the  Court  should  meet  in  October. 
For  three  months  these  men,  some  of  whom  were  probably  innocent,  were 
held  for  trial.  The  number  of  untried  prisoners  was  liable  to  daily  increase 
till  time  of  the  sessions  of  the  Court.  In  some  counties,  the  Judges  hold 
court  through  the  summer  weekly  for  the  benefit  of  the  untried  who  desire 
to  plead  guilty  and  to  make  an  early  beginning  of  serving  their  time.  So  far 
as  the  guilty  are  concerned,  doubtless  the  Court  in  pronouncing  sentence 
takes  into  consideration  the  time  they  have  spent  while  awaiting  trial. 

Prohibition  has  undoubtedly  tended  to  decrease  the  number  of  prisoners 
which  in  1915  showd  a  daily  average  of  150. 

About  twenty  of  the  prisoners  assist  in  domestic  duties.  Aside  from 
such  sexwice,  there  is  no  regular  employment.  The  maximum  sentence  is 
one  year,  a  vei*y  long  time  to  be  idle.  We  do  not  understand  why  the  au¬ 
thorities  and  good  citizens  of  Lackawanna  County  year  after  year  permit 
the  absolute  waste  of  from  30,000  to  40,000  days’  labor  in  their  old  Bastile. 
Sound  business  sense  ought  to  prevent  a  large  part  of  that  loss,  and  at 
least  place  those  delinquents  where  they  could  earn  their  maintenance.  The 
fee  system  of  boarding  the  prisoners  has  been  abolished.  The  Prison  Board 
expects  the  daily  expense  for  food  not  to  be  over  20c  for  each  prisoner.  For 
this  sum,  in  the  summer  of  1919,  the  following  daily  menu  was  supplied: — 

Breakfast — Bread,  prunes,  coffee.  Supper — Bread,  tea. 

Dinner — Meat  five  times  weekly,  vegetables,  prunes  with  rice,  etc. 

Take  notice  ye  sheriffs  and  wardens  who  claim  that  fifty  cents  per  diem 
is  too  small  an  allowance!! 

In  no  prison  in  the  State,  not  excluding  any  State  institution,  is  the 
clothing  which  the  prisoners  bring  better  cared  for.  Here  they  wear  a  uni¬ 
form  of  khaki  or  plain  cloth  with  inconspicuous  stripe.  Their  own  clothing 
is  carefully  labeled  and  placed  on  hangers  on  racks  in  a  special  room.  Moths 
and  vermin  are  exterminated.  “When  a  man  is  discharged  he  finds  his 
clothing  in  good  condition,  often  better  than  when  he  arrived  at  the  prison.” 

In  the  time  of  religious  service  the  men  sit  in  the  corridors  outside  of 
their  cells.  No  trouble  has  arisen  on  account  of  this  permission.  It  is  un¬ 
reasonable  to  ask  a  minister  to  preach  to  blank  walls  and  closed  doors. 

Some  repairs  have  been  needed  for  years.  Let  the  Commissioners  get 
busy. 

LANCASTER  COUNTY— Lancaster  Visited  June  17,  1919. 

Number  male  prisoners  day  of  inspection .  55 

Number  women  prisoners .  3 

Average  daily  number  1918 .  84 


Lancaster  Conn  in 


29 


Annual  cost  of  each  prisoner  1918 . $418.00 

Daily  cost  of  food  each  prisoner  1918  nearly . . .  33c 

Overhead  cost  each  prisoner  daily  1918 .  $1.10 


This  prison  appears  to  be  managed  on  rather  an  expensive  scale,  and 
yet  it  is  not  due  to  extravagant  salaries.  The  highest  salary  is  $1,200  and 
the  total  compensation  including  the  small  sums  paid  to  the  Inspectors 
amounts  to  $12,911. 

For  some  years  we  have  noted  that  the  apartments  of  the  women  were 
rather  too  near  those  of  the  male  prisoners,  but  information  was  given  that 
this  defect  is  soon  to  be  remedied. 

The  men  are  allowed  to  be  outside  of  their  cells  some  hours  every  day  in 
a  rather  attractive  yard  and  garden  which  they  care  for. 

For  breakfast  the  prisoners  receive  the  usual  bread,  coffee,  syrup.  They 
have  meat  every  day,  served  either  with  the  soup  or  cooked  with  vegetables. 

The  bread  is  bought,  and  the  quotation  given  was  at  six  cents  the 
pound,  rather  lower  than  elsewhere. 

The  population  of  the  prison  is  sufficiently  large  to  justify  the  instal 
lation  of  a  bakery,  thus  giving  some  employment  and  also  lessening  the 
food  expense. 

If  the  prisoner  has  the  cash,  he  may  purchase  fruit,  crackers  and  such 
wholesome  supplies.  There  seems  to  be  no  restriction  on  letter-writing  and 
to  those  who  so  desire  one  postage  stamp  is  furnished  monthly. 

Weaving  carpet  and  caning  chairs  are  the  industries  aside  from  domestic 
service.  The  profits  of  the  carpet  industry  in  1918,  $529. 

Possibly  two-thirds  of  the  prisoners  have  some  sort  of  work.  Still  there 
is  too  much  idleness. 

Persons  guilty  of  vagrancy  and  unlawful  train-riding  are  thrust  for  a 
few  days  in  a  separate  room  with  no  furniture  or  bedding.  As  many  as  may 
find  room  may  rest  upon  a  bench  around  the  walls  of  the  room.  It  might  be 
supposed  that  the  ride-stealers  would  hesitate  to  pass  through  either  Lan 
caster  or  Mifflintown. 

As  is  the  case  with  a  few  other  counties,  the  Lancaster  County  Prison 
is  managed  under  the  operation  of  a  special  statute.  The  six  Inspectors  and 
the  warden  are  elected  every  two  years  by  popular  vote,  hence  the  advent 
of  politics  into  an  institution  which  ought  to  be  managed  on  a  non-partisan 
basis  without  regard  to  the  vagaries  of  popular  whims.  In  Berks  County  the 
inspectors  are  chosen  by  vote  of  the  people,  but  in  no  other  county  is  the 
warden  thus  compelled  to  solicit  patronage  from  the  electorate.  Not  views 
on  tariff,  but  merit  should  determine  the  office  of  warden. 

The  Parole  Law  is  discounted  in  Lancaster  County.  This  is  to  be  re¬ 
gretted. 

LAWRENCE  COUNTY— Newcastle  Visited  June  14,  1919. 

There  were  34  prisoners  held  on  the  day  of  visitation,  the  average  daily 
number  for  1918  being  26. 

It  appears  from  the  Auditors’  Report,  1918,  that  the  total  expense  con 
nected  with  the  prison  was  $6,826.97,  or  annual  cost  each  prisoner,  approxi¬ 
mately  $262,  of  which  about  $156.40  was  spent  for  food. 

The  expense  for  maintaining  convicts  in  other  prisons  amounted  to  the 
enormous  sum  of  $30,417.38.  Altogether  over  $37,000. 

Fifty  prisoners  were  on  parole. 

Crime  costs  the  citizens  a  large  sum  in  proportion  to  the  population. 
What  can  be  done  to  check  the  lawlessness  ?  Do  you  know  that  if  you  were 
to  have  the  opportunity  to  send  most  of  your  prisoners  to  an  industrial 
penal  farm,  the  expenses  the  first  year  might  be  reduced  one-half? 

The  jail  is  poorly  lighted  in  the  rear,  the  ventilation  was  not  good,  the 
bedding  was  scarcely  decent.  Toilet  and  bathing  facilities  were  fair. 


Review  of  County  Jails  in  Pennsylvania 


:;o 


But  don’t  put  any  more  money  in  repairing  or  rebuilding  the  old  jail, 
till  we  reach  some  settlement  about  the  District  Penal  Farm. 

The  old  jail  should  be  used  merely  as  a  place  of  brief  detention. 

The  prisoners  from  the  city  of  Newcastle  are  kept  in  the  County  Prison, 
unless  they  agree  to  work  on  the  streets. 

There  is  little  employment  in  the  prison.  They  aid  in  scrubbing,  etc., 
but  not  in  cooking. 

It  ought  not  to  be  possible  to  keep  any  sane  person  in  this  prison  more 
than  a  few  days.  While  they  have  the  liberty  of  the  corridor  in  the  day 
time,  there  is  no  yard  for  recreation. 

LEBANON  COUNTY — Lebanon  Visited  Aug.  6,  1919. 

The  arrangement  of  the  quarters  for  prisoners  in  this  jail  are  well 
adapted  for  classification.  There  is  a  central  hall  with  two  lateral  corridors 
on  each  side,  making  four  ranges  of  cells  entirely  seregated.  Some  years 
ago,  we  found  one  range  occupied  by  the  women,  another  by  the  untried 
prisoners,  a  third  by  ordinary  convicts,  a  fourth  by  a  few  prisoners  who 
seemed  to  be  criminal  aristocrats  and  could  purchase  supplies  for  their  own 
cuisine. 

On  the  day  of  inspection  there  were  16  prisoners  about  equally  divided 
between  tried  and  untried.  No  women.  The  average  daily  attendance  in 
1918  was  approximately  14. 

There  is  some  curious  history  connected  with  the  fee  for  boarding  the 
prisoners.  In  1868  a  special  bill  was  passed  by  the  Legislature,  providing 
that  on  account  of  the  H.  C.  L.  the  jailer  in  the  Lebanon  County  Prison 
should  be  entitled  to  a^um  not  exceeding  fifty  cents  per  day  for  boarding 
each  prisoner#*  In  1887  this  law  was  absolutely  repealed  with  no  amend¬ 
ments  or  substitutes,  4of  any  kind,  leaving,  as  may  be  inferred,  the  amount 
of  the  fee  to  be  determined  by  the  County  Commissioners.  For  many  years 
the  fee  has  been  fixed  at  25c,  no  change  on  account  of  H.  C.  L.  having-  been 
made  to  the  time  of  this  inspection. 

For  this  sum  the  prisoners  breakfast  and  sup  on  bread  and  coffee,  and 
dine  on  vegetable  soup  with  a  small  quantity  of  meat.  The  sheriff  of  this 
county  is  not  enriching  himself  on  the  profits  of  boarding  the  inmates.  Nom¬ 
inally  the  sheriff  is  in  charge,  but  executive  functions  have  been  discharged 
by  a  jailer.  For  many  years  this  official  has  been  a  grim  veteran  of  the 
Civil  War  who  served  as  keeper,  turnkey,  disciplinarian,  cleaner,  cook, 
server,  adviser  and  general  factotum.  If  thought  necessary  he  can  en¬ 
force  discipline  with  boot  or  fist.  The  man  who  walks  uprightly  and  speaks 
humbly  will  receive  kind  treatment,  but  woe  unto  that  man  with  froward 
lips  and  unseemly  behavior.  Being  eighty  years  of  age,  he  is  about  to  be 
mercifully  released  from  these  duties  which  he  has  discharged  according  to 
the  best  of  his  ability  for  inadequate  pay. 

Not  to  be  harsh  at  all,  in  some,  respects  this  prison  is  a  vile  resort. 

Men  may  be  incarcerated  here  for  a  year  with  nothing  to  do  except  to 
play  with  dirty  cards  and  to  exchange  stories  of  criminality  and  salacious 
vulgarity.  The  sewage  system  of  the  town  does  not  reach  the  prison, 

hence - .  The  bedding  is  a  blanket  on  a  spring  cot.  The  prisoners  are 

usually  locked  in  their  cells  at  6  P.  M.  The  bucket  system  is  in  use  at  night, 
a  deplorable  and  loathsome  practice. 

If  the  new  jailer  is  alert,  enterprising,  altruistic,  he  will  suggest  many 
improvements. 

Two  or  three  prisoners  are  daily  paroled  in  season  to  care  for  the  lawn 
and  the  garden.  There  is  a  yard  which  ought  to  be  used  for  wholesome  rec¬ 
reation. 


Lehigh  County 


31 


LEHIGH  COUNTY— Allentown  Visited  Aug.  26,  1919. 

According  to  a  piece  of  special  legislation  adopted  in  1869,  the  Lehigh 
County  Prison  is  officially  managed  by  the  three  Commissioners  and  two 
others  appointed  by  the  Court. 

They  appoint  the  Warden  and  his  assistants,  and  give  close  attention  to 
the  details  of  management. 

The  institution  appeared  to  be  carefully  administered. 

The  effect  of  the  three  P’s — Prohibition,  Parole,  Probation — is  shown  in 


the  decrease  of  the  prison  population. 

In  1915  average  daily  attendance . 150 

In  1918  average  daily  attendance .  73 


The  figures  for  1919  may  show  a  still  smaller  number. 

Twenty  of  the  men  may  weave  carpet.  In  1918  they  wove  39,489  yards, 
and  the  profits  on  carpet  sold  amounted  to  $813.33,  the  highest  on  record. 

Formerly  the  Court  was  opposed  to  the  principle  of  parole,  but  latterly 
he  has  changed  his  mind.  In  1918,  118  prisoners  were  paroled  and  in  the 
first  nine  months  of  1919  the  privilege  was  granted  to  74.  There  were  12 
parole  violators  out  of  192  paroled.  Many  of  the  men  have  been  paroled  to 
work  on  farms.  Their  wages  are  paid  to  the  parole  officer  who  at  time  of 
settlement  deducts  fines  and  costs  and  pays  the  balance  to  the  men,  unless 
he  has  been  handing  the  money  over  to  the  destitute  families  of  the  con¬ 
victs.  The  direct  saving  to  the  county  resulting  from  this  system  in  21 
months  has  amounted  $14,413.  Surely  this  is  worth  while,  but  the  moral  im¬ 


provement  is  of  vastly  greater  importance. 

At  carpet  weaving  the  men  earn  from  $2  to  $5  monthly. 

The  daily  cost  of  provisions  per  prisoner  in  1918  was. . . .  26j^c 

The  annual  cost  per  prisoner  all  expenses  included . $321.15 


There  is  entirely  too  much  idleness,  which  the  Board  and  officials  greatly 
regret,  and  they  are  ready  to  welcome  some  change  in  legislation  which 
will  make  it  possible  to  employ  all  the  inmates. 

The  dietary  is  fair,  meat  being  served  six  days  of  each  week. 

Under  normal  conditions  they  ought  to  construct  a  bakery. 

Here  men  may  remain  from  ten  days  to  ten  years.  They  have  no  yard 
for  recreation  purposes.  A  special  entrance  has  been  constructed  for  the 
women  inmates,  in  order  that  they  should  not  be  exposed  to  the  curious 
gaze  of  the  male  prisoners  on  the  way  to  the  apartments  for  women. 

There  were  fifty-seven  men  and  four  women  prisoners  on  the  day  of 
inspection. 

LUZERNE  COUNTY— Wilkes-Barre  Visited  July  3,  1919. 

Number  of  inmates  day  of  inspection  was  ninety-five,  of  whom  eight 


were  women. 

The  daily  average  in  1918  was .  77 

The  average  annual  cost  of  each  prisoner  in  1918 . $445 

This  sum  is  exceeded  by  no  other  county  in  the  State. 

Luzerne  County  pays  a  colossal  bill  for  correcting  her  delinquents. 

Net  cost  of  maintaining  the  County  Prison . $  41,641 

Cash  for  maintaining  prisoners  at  Eastern  Penitentiary -  17,684 

Cash  for  maintaining  prisoners  at  Houses  of  Refuge .  30,277 

Boys’  Industrial  School  at  Kis-lyn .  79,954 


Total  . $169,556 


Some  twenty  thousand  dollars  of  the  expense  of  Kis-lyn  may  be 
charged  to  construction;  however,  the  cost  of  restraining  and  reforming 
the  bad  people  in  Luzerne  County  is  something  enormous.  The  daily  ex¬ 
penses  per  prisoner  in  the  county  prison  is  $1.49,  perhaps,  the  maximum 
for  the  entire  State. 


32 


Review  o/  County  Jails  in  Pennsylvania 


The  Institution  for  boys  at  Kis-lyn  compares  favorably  with  any  sim¬ 
ilar  institution  in  the  Commonwealth.  It  is  in  its  infancy  and  as  time 
passes  the  school  will  tend  to  become  more  self-supporting.  The  cottage 
plan  has  been  adopted. 

As  to  general  expenses  it  will  be  of  interest  to  compare  with  some 
other  counties,  the  figures  being  given  for  the  year  1918. 

Average  daily  Net  expense,  Total  expense, 


County  number  inmates  county  prison  including  other 

prisons 

Berks  .  75  131,888  $50,211  , 

Cambria  .  144  22,612  46,604 

Chester  .  64  12,527  34,637 

Dauphin .  150  estimated  37,369  63,628 

Erie  .  113  29,539  78,859 

Fayette  .  115  18,614  61,554 

Montgomery  .  100  22,672  50,520 

Northumberland  .  91  29,657  50,565 

Schuylkill  .  89  30,471  40,381 

Luzerne .  77  41,641  169,556 


Let  the  authorities  ponder  these  figures  with  intent  to  stop  the  leaks. 
(For  comparison  see  report  for  Northampton  County.) 

There  are  three  wings  to  the  county  prison,  each  of  three  stories,  the 
upper  two  stories  being  occupied.  The  women  are  confined  in  the  central 
wing.  There  is  no  employment  at  the  prison  which  is  revenue  producing, 
but  some  prisoners  have  been  loaned  to  the  almshouse  farm,  who  receive 
average  wages,  the  sum  of  one  dollar  being  charged  weekly  to  costs  and 
the  balance  credited  to  the  men  or  sent  to  their  families. 

There  is  domestic  service  for  all  at  the  prison.  The  inmates  cook, 
care  for  the  lawn,  repair  shoes,  do  furnace  work,  clean  and  scrub,  work  in 
the  laundry,  etc.  The  warden,  in  his  report,  states:  “All  the  convicts  have 
had  steady  work  during  the  year.”  Very  few  prisons  present  such  a  record 
of  industry. 

About  eighty  prisoners  were  on  parole  and  fifty  on  probation  at  the 
time  of  the  visit.  The  sum  of  $2,522  in  fines  and  costs  had  been  collected. 
In  Lehigh  County  the  parole  officer  has  had  better  success  in  making  such 
collections,  which  in  1918  amounted  to  $6,796.  The  parole  officer  in  Luzerne 
County  needs  more  assistance.  It  is  difficult  for  him  to  keep  in  touch  with 
all  those  placed  under  his  charge.  A  better  system  of  collecting  fines  and 
costs  by  instalments  needs  to  be  devised. 

Although  it  is  stated  that  every  prisoner  has  employment,  it  is  also 
reported  that  those  confined  to  their  cells  have  the  freedom  of  the  corridor 
only  one  hour  each  day,  and  unless  they  are  employed  about  the  grounds 
they  get  no  exercise  in  the  open  air.  If  possible,  this  matter  should  receive 
attention. 

The  prison  should  h^ve  a  well-equipped  bakery.  So  long  as  they  can 
purchase  bread  at  seven  cents  the  pound  it  may  not  be  so  greatly  needed; 
however,  a  bakery  would  give  employment  and  on  the  whole  would  be  a 
decidedly  economical  proposition. 

LYCOMING  COUNTY— Williamsport  Visited  July  4,  1919. 

An  old  prison  with  large  inside  corridor,  usually  so  dark  that  artificial 
light  is  needed  for  twenty-four  hours. 

Number  of  prisoners  day  of  inspection  was  fifteen,  of  whom  three  were 
women,  one  was  a  Federal  prisoner,  four  were  untried  and  the  balance  were 
male  convicts. 

The  average  daily  number  in  1918  was  about  twenty-six. 

They  breakfast  and  sup  on  bread,  coffee,  molasses. 


McKean  County 


OO 


Twice  weekly  they  have  a  meat  dinner,  but  at  other  times  they  may 
have  vegetables,  with  soup  made  from  the  traditional  soup  bone. 

For  thus  furnishing  the  inmates  with  provisions,  the  county  pays  the 
sheriff  fifty  cents  daily  for  each  prisoner.  There  ought  to  be  some  profit  in 
the  transaction  if  we  compare  with  the  menu  at  other  prisons,  where  the 
actual  cost  of  the  daily  supply  is  estimated  at  from  twenty  to  thirty  cents. 
We  have  repeatedly  said  that  the  principle  is  wrong  which  compels  any 
county  official  to  earn  any  part  of  his  own  living  by  the  profits  from  board¬ 
ing  either  prisoners  or  paupers. 

Parole  and  probation  have  recognition  in  this  county. 

The  toilet  and  bathing  accommodations  have  been  somewhat  improved 
within  the  last  two  or  three  years.  The  prisoners  sleep  on  wire-bottomed 
cots,  with  mattress  and  blanket.  Sheets  or  pillows  were  not  seen.  It 
would  be  well  to  install  some  better  laundry  accommodations. 

No  one  should  remain  in  this  prison  longer  than  is  absolutely  necessary. 
The  inmates  should  be  removed  to  some  other  institution  where  there  is 
wholesome  employment. 

Usually  the  men  have  the  freedom  of  the  corridors  during  the  day. 
There  is  no  yard  attached  to  the  prison. 

There  is  no  reason  why  they  should  not  allow  the  prisoners  to  have 
a  table  in  the  corridor,  at  which  they  may  eat  their  meals  in  civilized 
fashion.  The  more  normal  are  the  conditions  in  prison,  the  more  readily  is 
reformation  effected. 

McKEAN  COUNTY — Smethport  Visited  Aug.  14,  1919. 

The  number  of  prisoners  on  the  day  of  inspection  was  eleven,  which 
was  approximately  the  average  daily  number  in  1918. 

The  sheriff  receives  sixty  cents  daily  for  feeding  each  prisoner,  the 
extra  ten  cents  being  granted  for  general  kindly  care.  A  State  law  does  not 
allow  the  compensation  for  boarding  prisoners  to  be  in  excess  of  fifty  cents 
per  day. 

There  are  cells  with  a  corridor  around  the  whole  for  light  and  ventilation 
and  with  an  inside  corridor,  into  which  the  cells  open,  for  their  daily  use. 
They  eat  at  a  table  as  do  the  most  of  the  civilized  world.  They  enjoy  the 
usual  prison  menu  for  breakfast  and  supper.  They  are  served  with  meat 
twice  weekly  and  on  other  days  they  have  vegetables  with  a  gravy  made 
from  suet. 

Report  was  made  that  letters  are  uninspected.  The  privilege  of  inspec¬ 
tion  should  always  be  assumed  by  the  warden  or  sheriff. 

The  bedding  is  comfortable  and  the  accommodations  generally  are  good. 

There  being  no  employment,  the  time  of  tarriance  should  be  as  brief 
as  possible.  Of  the  eleven  incarcerated,  seven  were  being  held  for  trial. 


MERCER  COUNTY-Mercer  Visited  July  14,  1919. 

On  the  day  of  inspection  there  were  nineteen  prisoners,  of  whom  six 
were  women,  convicted  of  unlawfully  selling  booze. 

The  average  daily  number  in  1918  was  thirty-seven.  Prohibition  has 
curtailed  the  labors  of  the  sheriff.  The  parole  law  is  respected  in  this  county. 

The  sheriff  receives  fifty  cents  per  diem  for  each  prisoner  under  his 
charge. 

This  sum  appears  to  entitle  the  prisoners  to  receive  for  breakfast  and 
supper  the  usual  bread,  coffee,  syrup  and  sometimes  tea. 

Twice  a  week  they  have  a  cooked  dinner  with  half  pound  meat.  On  other 
days  they  have  soup,  with  vegetables  in  season.  As  in  most  prisons,  the 
prisoners  are  allowed  to  receive  from  friends  extra  supplies  of  food  and,  if 
they  have  the  wherewithal,  to  purchase  sugar,  etc. 

There  is  no  yard  for  exercise  and  recreation. 


34 


Review  of  County  Jails  in  Pennsylvania 


The  inmates  assist  in  domestic  service  and  in  caring  for  the  Court  House 
and  lawn.  As  a  rule  most  of  the  work  about  the  Court  House  and  the 
ground  adjacent  thereto  could  be  performed  by  the  prisoners  in  every  county 
of  the  State.  Very  few  counties  avail  themselves  of  this  privilege.  Such  a 
plan  is  economical  for  the  county  and  is  a  blessing  to  the  prisoners.  A  small, 
flourishing  garden  adjacent  to  the  jail  structure  furnishes  the  inmates  with 
fresh  vegetables. 

The  bedding  can  be  improved. 

The  present  sheriff  (1919)  has  used  endeavors  to  reform  the  charac¬ 
ter  of  the  inmates.  He  believes  there  is  “some  good  in  everybody.”  There 
is  a  special  effort  to  conduct  song  services  and  to  provide  musical  entertain¬ 
ments.  He  reports  that  the  Salvation  Army  has  done  a  good  work. 

He  gets  acquainted  with  the  men  and  gives  them  practical  advice. 

As  a  civilizing  influence,  he  has  arranged  to  have  them  take  their  meals 
at  tables.  There  are  ranges  of  cells  with  a  range  corridor.  Outside  of 
these  is  another  corridor  extending  to  the  wall,  a  sort  of  construction  not 
at  all  rare  in  prisons.  To  the  upright  bars  between  the  two  corridors  he 
has,  by  an  ingenious  but  simple  contrivance,  fastened  plain  smooth  boards, 
which  can  be  raised  or  lowered  at  pleasure.  When  unused  they  can  be 
hoisted  and  secured  out  of  the  way,  but  at  meal  times  they  are  lowered  and 
fastened  at  the  right  height  for  a  dining  table. 

It  is  unusual  and  gratifying  to  find  a  sheriff  who  takes  a  warm  personal 
interest  in  his  wards. 


MIFFLIN  COUNTY — Lewistown  Visited  Sept!  9,  1919. 

Rather  a  featureless  prison.  As  there  is  no  employment,  no  prisoners 
should  be  detained  therein  more  than  a  few  days. 

There  were  five  prisoners  on  the  day  of  inspection,  four  of  whom  were 
held  for  trial. 

For  fifty  cents  per  diem  they  are  being  served  as  follows: 

Breakfast — Bread,  coffee,  oat  porridge  with  sugar. 

Supper — Bread,  coffee,  tomato  soup. 

Dinner — Vegetable  soup  with  bread.  Meat  at  least  once  a  week. 

The  prisoners  are  allowed  the  freedom  of  the  inner  hall,  very  poorly 
lighted  (no  skylight)  during  the  day.  Sometimes  with  a  guard  they  take 
exercise  in  a  small  yard. 

The  bedding  is  quite  respectable,  especially  since  a  large  portion  of 
their  prisoners  have  been  unlawfully  riding  on  the  rods. 


MONROE  COUNTY— Stroudsburg  Visited  Aug.  25, 1919. 

We  found  six  prisoners  on  the  day  of  inspection,  all  being  held  for  trial. 
The  daily  average  in  1918  was  nearly  seven. 

Forty-five  cents  per  diem  was  paid  for  feeding  the  inmates  in  1918, 
changed  later  to  fifty  cents.  The  menu  will  compare  to  the  disadvantage 
of  other  counties  of  the  same  class  as  Monroe. 

Breakfast — Bread,  syrup,  oatmeal  with  milk  and  sugar,  coffee. 

Supper — Bread,  coffee,  syrup,  macaroni  or  baked  beans. 

Dinner — Soup,  with  vegetables.  Cooked  meat  dinner  once  weekly. 

This  dietary  is  rather  above  the  average. 

There  is  no  employment  except  for  light  domestic  work,  hence  no 
prisoners  should  be  confined  here  longer  than  absolutely  necessary. 

To  maintain  a  prisoner  one  year  costs . $251 

The  prisoners  have  the  freedom  of  a  poorly  lighted  corridor  during  the 
day,  but  rarely  have  the  privilege  of  an  hour  in  the  open  air. 

They  have  the  usual  bedding,  except  sheets,  other  living  arrangements 
being  fairly  satisfactory. 


Montgomery  County 


35 


MONTGOMERY  COUNTY— Norristown  Visited  Dec.  30,  1919. 


Number  of  inmates  on  the  day  of  inspection .  94 

Average  daily  population,  1918 . 100 

The  commitments  illustrate  the  decrease  of  crime,  or,  at  least,  of 
misdemeanants. 

Commitments  in  1885 . 3,596 

“  1917 . ! .  998 

“  1918 .  602 

“  1919 .  619 


Through  the  courtesy  of  the  Board  of  Inspectors,  who  have  sent  us 
advance  reports  for  1919,  we  are  able  to  present  some  comparative  facts 


of  interest. 

Daily  average  number  of  prisoners  1918 . 100 

Daily  average  number  of  prisoners  1919 . 109 

Number  paroled  for  work  on  farms  1918 .  41 

Number  paroled  for  work  on  farms  1919 .  15 


There  were  five  parole  violators  in  1918,  three  of  whom  were  detected 
and  returned  to  prison. 

There  were  five  violators  in  1919,  one  of  whom  was  apprehended  and 
returned  to  custody. 

The  result  in  1919  has  somewhat  discouraged  the  authorities  with  regard 
to  parole  work.  Most  of  the  men  have  worked  at  the  almshouse  farm,  prob¬ 


ably  with  insufficient  guard. 

Cost  of  provision  per  diem  for  each  prisoner  1918 . $.211 

Cost  of  provision  per  diem  for  each  prisoner  1919 .  .236 

Entire  maintenance  per  diem  for  each  prisoner  1918  . 631 

Entire  maintenance  per  diem  for  each  prisoner  1919  .  .643 

They  bake  their  own  bread  and  serve  meat  four  times  weekly. 

Some  of  the  prisoners  work  at  finishing  rugs. 

Earnings  of  the  prisoners  1918 . $  780.35 

Earnings  of  the  prisoners  1919 .  1,669.13 

which  shows  a  gratifying  increase. 

The  living  accommodations  are  reasonably  good. 

There  is  an  exercise  yard  sufficiently  large,  and  we  recommend  that 


the  prisoners  be  allowed  to  take  exercise  for  a  longer  time  than  one  hour 
daily. 

Religious  services  have  been  held  each  Sunday  during  the  year  under 
the  care  of  the  religious  organizations  of  Norristown  and  vicinity  as 
arranged  by  the  Chaplain,  Mrs.  Annie  McDermott. 

A  Bible  class  of  prisoners  met  each  Sunday  during  the  year. 

A  night  school  with  six  classes,  under  the  supervision  of  the  Society 
©f  Friends,  opened  in  October,  1919,  with  a  large  attendance.  Much  interest 
is  manifested  both  by  the  Bible  class  and  the  night  school. 


MONTOUR  COUNTY— Danville  Visited  July  2,  1919. 

Not  much  occasion  for  a  prison  in  this  county,  for  the  daily  average 
number  in  detention  is  less  than  one. 

On  this  warm  day  of  inspection  three  men  were  held,  one  of  whom  was 
awaiting  trial. 

The  food  is  such  as  may  be  found  on  the  average  table  of  a  farmer, 
meat  only  being  limited  in  quantity.  Eggs  are  often  substituted  for  meat. 
The  sheriff  receives  fifty  cents  daily  for  each  prisoner. 

The  inmates  sleep  on  felt  mattresses  on  spring  cots  and  improvise  their 
own  pillows. 

Cleanliness  prevails. 

It  is  reported  that  a  prisoner  may  remain  in  this  place  of  detention  for 
an  entire  year.  There  is  nothing  to  do  save  read,  think  and  sleep.  At  the 
time  of  this  inspection  one  of  the  men  was  called  a  “trusty”  and  allowed 


36 


Review  of  County  Jails  in  Pennsylvania 


to  care  for  the  small  lawn  and  perform  various  chores.  There  is  no  yard 
for  recreation  in  the  open  air. 

One  convict  is  paroled. 


NORTHAMPTON — Easton  Visited  Aug.  26,  1919. 

The  prison  is  under  the  management  of  a  Board  of  Inspectors,  three  of 
whom  are  appointed  by  the  court  and  two  by  the  commissioners.  They 
appoint  the  warden  and  other  officials.  They  give  careful  attention  to  the 
administration  from  a  sense  of  honor  and  duty,  the  compensation  not  being 
sufficient  to  pay  for  their  time  and  expenses.  The  prisons  in  the  larger 
counties  are  always  more  efficiently  managed  under  the  control  of  an 
appointed  warden  than  under  the  sway  of  a  sheriff,  who  is  elected  by  the 
vote  of  the  people.  A  sheriff  holds  office  only  for  four  years  and  is  not 
eligible  for  re-election.  A  warden  in  most  counties  retains  his  position,  if 
he  has  been  faithful  in  the  performance  of  his  duties.  We  hope  the  warden 
of  the  Northampton  County  prison  may  hold  his  job  for  many  years  to  come. 
A  sheriff  often  secures  his  position  not  from  any  fitness  to  look  after  the 
welfare  of  the  delinquents,  nor  from  any  faculty  of  reforming  wrongdoers 
or  of  dealing  with  them  with  an  eye  single  to  their  betterment,  but  because 
of  services  to  some  political  faction.  In  fact,  the  management  of  the  larger 
prisons  under  sheriffs  was  so  notoriously  inefficient  that  in  1909  a  law  was 
passed  by  the  Legislature  and  signed  by  the  Governor  providing  that  a 
warden  should  be  appointed  for  the  prison  in  any  county  having  over  150,000 
inhabitants  and  less  than  350,000.  This  did  not  prevent  other  counties  from 
appointing  a  warden  should  the  authorities  choose  to  do  so.  Several  coun¬ 
ties,  as  Chester,  Delaware,  Bucks,  Dauphin,  Northumberland  and  North¬ 
ampton,  whose  population  at  the  last  census  did  not  reach  150,000,  have 
placed  their  prisons  under  the  management  of  a  warden.  In  all  these 
counties  the  provision  is  supplied  by  direct  purchase,  there  being  no  profit 
derived  by  any  official  from  boarding  or  exploiting  the  prisoners.  In  any 
county  having  more  than  50,000  inhabitants  the  care  of  the  jail  should  be 
divorced  from  the  jurisdiction  of  the  sheriff.  Such  an  arrangement  makes 
for  the  welfare  of  the  prisoners  and  also  for  much  greater  economy  for  the 
taxpayers. 

Number  of  prisoners  day  of  inspection .  76 

Average  daily  number  1918 .  91 

Average  daily  number  191.4 . 142 

Overhead  cost  per  day  per  prisoner  1918 .  85c 

Overhead  cost  per  day  per  prisoner  1914 .  38c 

The  maintenance  of  the  prisoners  has  doubled  in  expense  since  1914  oa 
account  of  H.  C.  L.  The  salary  list  has  not  proportionately  increased. 

Salaries  paid  Northampton  County  1918 . $  9,205 

“  “  Montgomery  “  1918 .  9,813 

“  “  Chester  “  1918 .  7,255 

“  “  Lehigh  “  1918 .  10,995 

“  “  Dauphin  “  1918 .  12,480 

“  “  Fayette  “  1918 .  6,908 

“  “  Berks  “  1918 .  18,359 

“  “  Luzerne  “  1918 .  23,097 

Note  the  salary  expense  in  last  two  counties.  There  one  may  find  a 
partial  explanation  for  the  excessive  per  capita  expense  of  maintenance. 

The  industries  are  carpet  making  and  also  the  manufacture  of  rugs. 

Yards  of  carpet  manufactured  during  the  year  1918 .  68,609 

Number  of  rugs  made  in  1918 .  248 

Profits  on  these  industries  paid  to  the  county .  $7,000 

In  both  1918  and  1919  a  number  of  men  have  worked  at  farming  with 
beneficial  results,  though  no  figures  are  available. 

The  authorities  still  maintain  the  practice  of  cell  feeding. 


Northumberland  County 


The  dietary  appears  to  be  wholesome.  Meat  is  served  every  day  for 
the  workers  and  every  other  day  to  those  who  have  no  employment,  still 
we  are  assured  that  all  who  are  able  have  something  to  do.  About  twenty 
find  employment  in  various  forms  of  domestic  service.  The  workers  earn 
from  three  to  eight  dollars  monthly. 

We  recommend  the  establishment  of  a  bakery. 

The  old  portion  of  the  jail  has  been  improved  by  the  addition  of  a  new 
and  enlarged  skylight. 

For  maintenance  of  prisoners  in  other  institutions  the  county  has  paid 
in  1918  the  sum  of  $20,908.  Some  of  this  could  be  saved  by  committing 
more  prisoners  to  the  county  institution.  There  is  now  a  better  opportunity 
for  getting  employment  in  the  county  prison  at  Easton  than  in  the  State 
Penitentiary. 

The  cost  of  the  limited  amount  of  tobacco  furnished  in  1918  was  $330. 

It  seems  that  the  court  is  only  partially  committed  to  the  support  of 
the  parole  principle.  Hence  very  few  are  released  on  parole.  This  is  to 
be  deplored. 


NORTHUMBERLAND  COUNTY-  Sunbury  Visited  July  2,  1919. 

Number  of  prisoners  day  of  inspection .  16 

Average  daily  number  in  1918 . ~ .  28 


The  actual  daily  cost  of  food  per  prisoner  1918  was  twenty-seven  cents. 
The  bill  of  fare  about  the  average  for  prisons  and  it  was  reported 
that  prisoners  almost  invariably  gain  in  weight. 

The  large  inside  corridor  or  hall  needs  more  light  from  above. 


Net  cost  of  prison  maintenance  1918 . $16,399.00 

Annual  cost  per  prisoner  1918 .  586.00 

Daily  average  cost  per  prisoner  1918 .  1.60 


Of  which  there  should  be  charged  to  provision  each  day.  .27 

Even  with  the  recent  high  prices  of  provisions,  the  actual  cost  of  the 
food  rarely  exceeds  the  estimate  given  above. 

They  have  a  few  looms  for  the  making  of  carpet.  In  1918  there  was 
obtained  from  the  sale  of  carpet  $1,332.  There  is  insufficient  employment. 

The  men  are  allowed  to  spend  an  hour  daily  in  the  yard  for  purposes 
of  recreation.  In  former  years  there  was  a  base  ball  team  organized  which 
occasionally  played  with  clubs  from  outside.  Such  privileges  improve  the 
morale. 

There  is  a  yard  for  the  use  of  the  women,  but  as  windows  of  some 
adjacent  factories  overlook  this  parade  ground,  the  arrangement  is  far 
from  satisfactory.  At  the  time  of  the  inspection  the  women  were  confined 
to  their  apartments,  which  is  separated  from  the  apartments  of  the  male 
prisoners  by  a  wooden  partition  and  a  wooden  door.  This  will  all  be 
changed  when  that  new  prison  is  constructed,  but  we  sincerely  hope  it  may 
not  be  built  on  this  site.  The  tendency  is  all  toward  the  removal  of  prisons 
to  farms.  What  is  needed  is  a  comparatively  small  place  of  detention,  but 
all  convicts  should  be  taken  to  the  Industrial  Farm. 

If  more  special  attention  could  be  given  in  this  county  to  the  collec¬ 
tion  of  fines  and  costs  by  instalments,  the  ends  of  both  justice  and  economy 
would  be  better  served. 

PERRY  COUNTY— New  Bloomfield  Visited  Sept.  9,  1919. 

The  average  daily  attendance  in  1918  was  about  4^  prisoners,  but  on 
the  day  of  inspection  no  prisoner  was  found. 

Prohibition  has  greatly  decreased  the  number. 

Under  the  fee  system,  the  sheriff  receives  forty  cents  daily  for  each 
prisoner. 

Breakfast  and  supper — Bread,  potatoes,  mush,  coffee. 


38 


Review  of  Count y  Jails  in  Pennsylvania 


“A  boiled  dinner  with  meat  three  times  each  week.” 

There  is  no  employment,  no  yard,  no  sheets,  no  pillows,  no  specified 
time  for  receiving  visitors,  no  tobacco  supplied,  no  long  sentences. 

In  general  the  sanitary  accommodations  are  adequate. 

PHILADELPHIA  COUNTY— Philadelphia. 

There  are  two  departments  of  the  County  Prison.  The  Moyamensing 


prison  was  visited  Dec.  31,  1919. 

Number  of  prisoners  on  day  of  inspection  . 363 

Of  these  the  greater  part  -were  those  detained  for  trial. 

Average  daily  number  1918  . 615 


Not  only  in  this  prison  but  in  the  various  station  houses  throughout 
the  city,  the  advent  of  prohibition  has  decreased  the  number  of  prisoners 
from  40  to  60  per  cent.  For  assistance  about  the  premises  and  for  domestic 
service,  about  100  convicts  are  retained  at  Moyamensing,  the  remainder 
of  those  serving  time  being  forwarded  to  the  convict  depai'tment  at  Holmes- 
burg. 

The  female  prisoners,  both  untried  and  convicts,  are  at  Moyamensing. 

In  any  large  city,  the  most  difficult  penal  problem  is  connected  with 
the  untried  prisoners.  Among  them  may  be  found  every  variety  of  human 
beings  from  the  most  depraved  to  the  comparatively  innocent,  from  the 
lowest  dregs  of  humanity  to  some  with  claims  to  gentility,  from  imbeciles 
and  morons  to  the  alert  and  brilliant.  Some  remain  but  a  few  days, 
others  on  account  of  the  law’s  delays  may  be  held  for  months  and  even  years. 

What  mode  of  treatment  is  best  adapted  to  this  hodge-podge,  this  con¬ 
fused  mass  of  humanity?  We  are  far  from  saying  that  any  prison  in  the 
State  has  fully  solved  the  problem.  However  there  are  many  in  the  out¬ 
side  world  who  fail  to  recognize  the  gravity,  the  difficulties  of  the  situation. 
The  community  demands  that  these  supposed  derelicts  be  securely  confined 
until  the  charges  against  them  have  been  proven  or  disproven.  In  any 
well  regulated  place  of  detention  there  will  be  some  attempt  at  classifi- 
fication.  Those  who  are  charged  with  the .  more  heinous  crimes  will  be 
segregated.  But  unless  we  insist  on  entire  segregation  of  each  individual 
from  all  others,  there  will  be  many  an  opportunity  for  the  young  and 
innocent  to  learn  too  well  of  the  vileness  of  the  underworld.  In  such  a 
prison  we  should  not  criticize  the  effort  to  confine  the  inmates  in  separate 
cells.  In  fact,  the  proper  treatment  of  the  untried  has  received  scant 
attention  from  writers  on  penology. 

A  house  of  detention  is  not  a  penal  institution;  it  is,  however,  a 
prison  because  the  interests  of  society  require  that  certain  men  and  women 
should  be  held  within  prescribed  limits.  They  should  not  wear  a  felon’s 
garb,  nor  should  they  be  subject  to  the  same  regulations  which  obtain  in 
a  convict  prison.  They  should  not  associate  with  the  convicts.  At  Moya¬ 
mensing  they  are  kept  in  a  separate  block.  They  should  have  rooms  rather 
than  cells.  While  they  must  be  detained  and  must  be  subject  to  certain 
wholesome  and  protective  regulations,  they  ought  to  be  treated  as  nearly 
as  possible  on  the  presumption  that  they  are  innocent  until  they  are  proven 
guilty.  It  goes  without  saying  that  it  will  be  necessary  for  them  to  obey 
the  very  few  rules  which  under  the  circumstances  are  essential.  They 
should  have  quite  full  freedom  of  using  the  mails,  subject  of  course  to 
surveillance.  Visitors  and  near  friends  should  not  be  denied  access,  yet 
an  official  must  be  present  at  all  interviews.  It  is  more  important  that 
they  should  take  their  meals  in  their  own  rooms  than  for  the  convicts. 
At  Moyamensing  the  untried  are  allowed  the  privilege  of  purchasing  or 
receiving  milk  and  tobacco.  There  should  be  the  minimum  amount  of 
restriction  on  the  visits  of  authorized  counsel.  They  can  not  be  com¬ 
pelled  to  work,  not  being  under  sentence,  but  voluntary  offers  to  assist 
in  domestic  service  or  otherwise,  should  not  be  disregarded,  since  in  many 


PHILADELPHIA  COUNTY  PRISON-  MOYAMENSING. 


Philadelphia  County 


39 

cases  employment  drives  away  gloom  and  moroseness.  Here  the  greatest 
discretion  on  the  part  of  the  authorities  is  needed  in  order  to  determine 
who  will  not  abuse  the  privileges  of  the  workers.  In  Delaware  County, 
the  untried  may  choose  between  labor  or  a  more  scanty  diet.  We  are 
aware  that  many  of  them  are  gutter-snipes  and  arrive  in  all  their  filth  and 
degradation,  yet  as  far  as  possible  the  appointments  in  the  rooms  assigned 
to  them,  though  plain,  should  be  fairly  comfortable.  The  furniture  and 
bedding  should  not  be  stinted.  It  should  be  the  duty  of  some  official  to 
attend  to  various  outside  errands  of  more  or  less  importance  for  those 
who  are  detained.  They  will  desire  very  soon  to  get  in  touch  with  an 
attorney;  they  will  desire  to  locate  a  parent,  brother  or  a  near  friend; 
they  will  wish  to  have  some  effects  recovered  from  the  station-house; 
they  may  need  to  have  their  claims  for  wages  presented  to  some  employer; 
they  will  need  certain  articles  and  clothing  brought  from  their  homes,  etc. 
For  such  purposes  the  inspectors  of  the  Philadelphia  County  Prison  have 
employed  an  official  known  as  the  Agent.  The  General  Agent  of  the 
Pennsylvania  Prison  Society  also  performs  many  services  for  the  untried. 

It  ought  to  be  the  special  concern  of  the  prosecuting  attorney  to 
have  these  people  brought  to  a  speedy  trial.  They  should  not  be  held  a 
moment  more  than  is  absolutely  necessary. 

It  should  be  impressed  on  the  prison  officials  everywhere  that  these 
persons  are  captives,  not  convicts,  and  that  the  treatment  accorded  to 
them  should  clearly  recognize  this  distinction.  In  Philadelphia  and  Pitts¬ 
burgh  they  are  detained  in  separate  quarters,  but  we  are  not  sure  that 
all  the  regulations  have  been  made  with  reference  to  this  distinction. 

In  nearly  all  other  counties  of  the  Commonwealth,  there  is  little  or  no 
discrimination  made  in  the  treatment  of  the  untried. 

Under  a  sense  that  the  untried  prisoners  should  receive  more  appro¬ 
priate  care  than  was  accorded  to  them  in  the  county  prisons,  the  legislature 
of  1917  passed  an  act,  which  received  executive  sanction,  that  cities  of 
the  first-class  in  Pennsylvania,  namely,  Philadelphia  and  Pittsburgh,  should 
establish  a  separate  detention  prison  for  those  detained  for  trial.  This 
act  provided  that  in  such  a  house  of  detention  those  held  for  trial  should 
have  comfortable  and  separate  rooms  and  should  be  subject  to  the  mini¬ 
mum  amount  of  restraint.  The  provisions  of  this  act  have  not  been  carried 
out  in  either  city,  and  we  trust  it  may  never  be  necessary.  The  initial 
cost  may  be  a  half-million  dollars  and  a  new  army  of  officeholders  will 
be  added  to  our  already  distended  pay-roll.  We  do  not  believe  the  results 
will  justify  this  expense.  We  believe  the  inspectors  of  these  two  large 
city  prisons  have  been  led  to  study  the  problem  from  a  different  angle, 
have  already  introduced  some  changes  and  are  willing  to  meet  the  situa¬ 
tion  in  reasonable  mood.  Perhaps  the  inspectors  of  the  Philadelphia 
County  Prison  may  be  somewhat  hampered  by  the  lav/  of  1835  rather 
minutely  defining  their  duties,  and  not  specifying  any  distinctions  as  to 
the  classes  of  inmates,  but  if  this  law  does  really  obstruct  the  proper 
treatment  of  the  untried,  we  should  prefer  to  have  this  statute  amended 
rather  than  at  present  to  construct  another  prison  in  Philadelphia. 

We  do  not  know  that  the  commission  now  at  work  in  revising  the 
Constitution  of  the  Commonwealth  will  deal  with  this  subject,  but  it  may 
be  wise  to  await  their  action  before  making  any  drastic  changes. 

Believing  in  the  law  of  progress  and  development,  we  should  favor 
some  questionnaire  to  be  sent  annually  to  all  the  county  prison  boards 
of  the  State,  and  among  the  questions  the  following  are  suggested: 

What  improvements  either  in  discipline  or  management  have  been 
made  or  tested  during  the  past  year? 

What  evidences  of  reformation  have  come  under  your  observation  ? 

In  good  business,  the  methods  of  1910  are  out  of  date  in  1920.  So  in 
prison  management,  regulations  which  may  have  been  up  to  date  in  1835, 
are  altogether  unsuitable  to  conditions  of  1920. 


40 


Review  of  County  Jails  in  Pennsylvania 


PHILADELPHIA  COUNTY— Holmesburg  County  Prison 

Visited  Dec.  8,  1919. 

This  prison  is  used  exclusively  for  male  convicts. 

Number  of  convicts  on  the  day  of  inspection  . 668 

Daily  average  in  1918  . 490 

The  physical  appointments  leave  little  to  be  desired. 

The  one-story  wings  like  spokes  from  a  hub  extend  in  several  directions 
from  a  central  circular  hall  or  rotunda.  Light,  ventilation,  sanitation  and 
the  usual  creaturely  comforts  have  been  secured.  No  purchases  or  gifts 
of  extra  provisions  or  tobacco  are  allowed.  There  is  much  medical  opinion 
to  the  effect  that  the  use  of  tobacco  is  injurious.  There  is  some  expert 
opinion  to  the  contrary.  The  physical  and  mental  effect  of  depriving  a 
habitual  user  of  the  weed  could  be  studied  at  this  institution. 

The  dress  is  a  sort  of  inconspicuous  jeans  woven  in  the  prison  and 
also  made  up  into  suits.  The  other  employments  are  shoemaking,  hosiery 
making,  printing  and  domestic  service.  No  wages  are  paid  and  nothing 
is  made  for  sale.  About  one-half  of  the  inmates  are  employed.  Those 
who  are  unemployed  are  held  in  “separate  and  solitary  confinement,”  but 
not  at  labor.  Here  may  be  observed  the  effects  of  the  solitary  system, 
which  is  practised  in  accordance  with  the  law  of  1835.  In  no  other  prison 
of  the  State  is  separate  confinement  featured  so  extensively.  For  many 
years,  say  from  1820  to  1860,  The  Pennsylvania  Prison  Society  stood  pre¬ 
eminently  for  this  system.  The  old  reports  are  filled  with  controversial 
literature  on  this  subject.  In  later  years  we  have  ceased  to  advocate 
such  a  system.  At  the  same  time  we  are  aware  that  when  prisoners  are 
thrown  together  in  unrestrained  intercourse,  they  become  schools  of  crime 
and  of  abominable  practices. 

When  the  Pennsylvania  Prison  Society  was  organized,  in  1787,  the 
prisoners  in  the  old  Walnut  Street  jail  were  herded  together  indiscrimi¬ 
nately  under  most  filthy  and  disgraceful  conditions.  Men  and  women, 
the  young  and  the  old,  the  tried  and  the  untried,  debtors,  murderers, 
thieves,  without  bedding  other  than  that  what  they  had  furnished  for 
themselves,  were  massed  in  the  same  apartments.  The  Society  insisted 
rightfully  on  segregation,  and  persisted  till  they  had  attained  the  ful¬ 
fillment  of  their  slogan,  “separate  and  solitary  confinement  at  hard  labor.” 
As  time  progressed,  we  have  withdrawn  somewhat  from  this  extreme 
position,  advocating  regular  and  systematic  employment  and  seasons  of 
recreation  under  the  observation  of  discreet  and  sympathetic  officers.  Pris¬ 
oners  should  lodge  in  separate  rooms. 

At  this  prison  the  workers  have  their  dinner  in  a  large  dining-room. 
The  secretary  was  served  with  the  same  ration  as  the  prisoners  received. 
It  was  a  plain  substantial  meal.  A  loaf  of  bread,  baked  in  the  prison 
bakery,  was  carried  out  and  sampled  by  “particular”  eaters,  and  pro¬ 
nounced  to  be  high-grade  bread. 

Although  the  negroes  in  Philadelphia  constitute  approximately  one- 
twelfth  of  the  population,  at  this  convict  prison  they  constitute,  on  the  day 
of  visitation,  48  per  cent.,  or  nearly  one-half  of  the  inmates. 

Including  Moyamensing  the  daily  cost  of  food  per 

prisoner,  1918  . 19.17c. 

Including  Moyamensing  the  daily  overhead  cost . 72.43c. 

Total  cost  of  administering  the  County  Prison  in  1918. . .  .$293,970 

As  we  have  mentioned,  the  administration  of  the  prison  is  primarily 
vested  in  nine  inspectors  appointed  by  the  judges.  They  serve  without  pay 
from  purely  altruistic  motives.  The  regulations  (for  the  most  part)  were 
adopted  in  1835  for  the  special  government  of  the  prison.  Since  1835  there 
has  been  great  advancement  in  penological  methods.  “Separate  and  solitary 
confinement  at  labor”  was  directed  in  the  regulations.  To  some  extent 
they  have  adhered  to  the  old  rule  of  solitary  confinement,  but  they  have 


Philadelphia  County 


41 


failed  to  give  the  prisoners  employment.  It  is  true  that  some  legislation 
in  later  years  interfered  with  efforts  to  secure  employment,  but  the  judges 
still  sentence  to  imprisonment  with  labor.  Have  the  inspectors  been  diligent 
in  contriving  to  find  methods  of  employing  those  who  are  placed  in  their 
charge  as  wards?  It  is  generally  admitted  that  nothing  is  so  conducive 
to  moral,  mental  and  physical  deterioration  as  compulsory  idleness.  Ac¬ 
cording  to  the  returns,  over  70,000  days  were  wasted  in  this  prison  in 
idleness  in  the  year  1918.  In  other  words  the  work  of  245  men  for  one 
year  each  was  lost.  Meanwhile  the  county  maintained  them.  More  and 
more  it  is  the  conviction  of  many  thinkers  and  also  officials  that  it  ought 
to  be  considered  a  crime  to  consign  any  human  being  to  a  life  of  idleness. 

In  the  statutes  of  1823,  the  managers  of  the  County  Prison  were 
authorized  and  required  to  construct  a  “stepping  mill”  for  the  proper  exer¬ 
cise  of  the  prisoners.  We  are  not  advocates  of  that  method  of  providing 
recreation  for  the  prisoners,  but  we  are  curious  to  know  what  became  of 
that  stepping  machine. 


PHILADELPHIA  COUNTY — House  of  Correction  Visited  Dec.  8,  1919. 

This  institution  is  not  under  the  care  of  the  Inspectors  of  the  County 
Prison,  but  has  been  conducted  as  a  department  under  the  Director  of 
Public  Safety.  Under  the  new  Philadelphia  charter  which  went  into  effect 
the  first  day  of  January,  1920,  this  institution  is  transferred  to  the  Bureau 
of  Public  Welfare.  It  is  a  municipal  prison. 

Convicts  are  sent  hither  by  magistrates  and  the  Municipal  Court;  rarely 
and,  with  some  question  as  to  the  authority,  by  the  higher  courts. 

Their  sentences  range  from  thirty  days  to  two  years,  and  the  inmates 
in  most  States  would  be  termed  misdemeanants,  though  in  Pennsylvania 
there  is  no  legal  line  of  demarcation  between  a  felon  and  a  misdemeanant. 

Number  male  convicts  day  of  inspection  . 289 

Number  female  convicts  day  of  inspection . 427 

Average  daily  number,  1917  . 709 

Average  daily  number,  1918  . 550 

The  average  daily  number  for  1919  . 556 

The  number  of  officers  and  employes  in  1918  was  102. 

It  is  rather  an  expensive  proposition,  the  cost  in  1918 

being  . $302,443.00 

Daily  cost  per  capita,  1914,  approximately .  .25 

Daily  cost  per  capita,  1918 .  1.16 

Daily  cost  food,  per  capita,  1914,  approximately  .  .14 

Daily  cost  food,  per  capita,  1918,  approximately .  .27 

It  will  be  observed  that  high  cost  of  living  has  almost  doubled  the  cost 
of  the  provision,  but  has  more  than  quadrupled  the  administrative  expenses. 

For  salaries  and  wages  there  were  paid  in  1918 . $115,576.00 

There  is  one  peculiar  feature  about  the  commitments.  An  inmate  of 
the  House  of  Correction  is  not  necessarily  a  criminal  or  even  one  against 
whom  a  charge  has  been  preferred.  Any  person  who  finds  himself  or 
herself  without  means  or  occupation  may  go  before  a  magistrate  and  make 
request  to  be  committed  to  the  House  of  Correction.  So  this  institution 
was  regarded  as  a  haven  of  rest  and  refuge  by  104  persons  in  1918. 

The  men  eat  in  their  cells,  the  women  at  tables. 

For  breakfast  and  supper  the  usual  prison  fare  is  supplied. 

For  dinner  a  mutton  stew  or  a  soup  of  meat  and  vegetables,  the  amount 
of  meat  computed  on  a  basis  of  one  gross  pound  for  each  inmate,  is  provided. 
No  one  is  allowed  to  purchase  or  receive  extra  supplies  of  food. 

One  small  plug  of  chewing  tobacco  is  supplied  weekly  to  each  male 
convict,  but  what  is  furnished  in  this  line  to  the  female  convicts  was 
not  stated. 


42 


Review  of  County  Jails  in  Pennsylvania 


We  regret  to  report  than  in  the  men’s  quarters  the  “bucket  system” 
is  still  to  be  found.  We  trust  the  Bureau  of  Public  Welfare  will  install  a 
better  sanitary  system. 

The  redeeming  feature  is  that  practically  all  able-bodied  prisoners 
have  employment. 

In  1918,  engaged  in  productive  labor,  principally  in  the  manu¬ 


facture  of  gas,  coke,  etc.,  there  were  employed  . 185 

In  the  same  year  in  domestic  service,  on  the  farm,  etc . 321 

Unemployed  for  various  reasons,  chiefly  physical  disability  ....  44 

Total  as  above . 550 

The  institution  is  not  credited  on  the  books  for  services  rendered  to 
various  municipal  departments,  the  value  of  which  services  amounts  to 
several  thousand  dollars  each  year. 


They  have  a  farm  of  some  two  hundred  acres  or  more,  the  produce  of 
which  furnishes  a  considerable  part  of  the  sustenance  of  the  inmates.  The 
value  of  the  agricultural  products  is  not  shown  in  the  financial  statement. 

“Eighty-five  men  were  committed  under  the  provisions  of  the  Act  of 
May  24,  1917,  .  .  .  for  non-support  of  their  dependents.  Working  at 

the  rate  of  $.65  per  day,  Sundays  and  holidays  excepted,  these  men  earned 
$3,215.83.  Warrants  for  this  amount  were  drawn  out  of  an  appropriation 
of  $5,000  for  this  purpose,  in  favor  of  the  Court  Clerk,  for  distribution 
amongst  the  dependents  entitled  thereto.”  Philadelphia  County  is  one  of 
the  six  counties  of  the  State  which  are  carrying  out  the  provisions  of 
this  act: 

In  consideration  of  the  fact  that  the  population  of  the  Philadelphia 
County  Prison  and  that  of  the  House  of  Correction  is  less  than  one-half  of 
the  number  of  inmates  four  years  ago,  the  question  of  the  consolidation  of 
our  penal  institutions  is  imminent.  For  some  reasons  it  is  rather  a  delicate 
question,  but  whether  there  is  good  and  sufficient  reason  for  the  continu¬ 
ance  of  two  expensive  systems  when  one  administration  with  one  set  of 
officials  and  employees  could  efficiently  control  and  superintend  the  entire 
penal  situation  is  a  subject  worthy  of  the  profound  consideration  of  the 
citizens  of  Philadelphia. 


We  have  before  us  the  Report  of  the  Probation  Officer  of  Philadelphia 


for  the  years  1918  and  1919. 

Number  of  adults  placed  on  probation  . 829 

Number  who  complied  with  the  conditions  and  were  discharged  600 
Number  who  failed  to  conform  to  the  conditions  and  were  re¬ 
turned  .  28 

The  failures  have  averaged  less  than  four  per  cent. 

200  probationers  were  in  the  American  Expeditionary  Forces. 


The  probationer  is  made  to  feel  that  he  is  responsible  to  those  whom 
he  has  wronged.  Hence  he  is  impressed  with  the  fact  that  he  will  be 
expected  to  make  restitution.  In  the  two  years  the  sum  of  $8,337  was  re¬ 
ceived  for  restitution. 

The  probation  officer  makes  this  statement  which  we  cheerfully  endorse: 

“I  think  it  has  been  proven  that  probation  is  beyond  the  experimental 
stage,  and  it  is  satisfaction  to  report  that  through  our  beneficent  proba¬ 
tion  system  many  young  men  were  performing  a  service  that  very  largely 
atones  for  their  offences  and  misdeeds  of  the  past.” 

PIKE  COUNTY— Milford  Visited  Aug.  25,  1919. 

The  daily  average  number  of  inmates,  1918,  was  approximately  one  and 
one-quarter.  One  man  was  being  held  for  trial  at  the  time  of  inspection. 

The  sum  of  fifty  cents  per  diem  is  paid  for  boarding  the  prisoners, 


Potter  County 


43 


and  the  dietary  is  such  as  one  usually  enjoys  in  country  districts,  except 
that  the  meat  ration  is  rather  shy. 

No  place  for  a  female  prisoner.  If  a  woman  is  arrested  she  must 
lodge  in  the  part  of  the  edifice  reserved  for  the  family  of  the  sheriff.  The 
jail  is  a  part  of  the  residence  of  the  sheriff  and  consists  of  two  or  three 
cells,  opening  into  a  hall  with  connecting  door  to  the  residential  section. 

The  bathing  arrangements  are  inadequate,  and  the  method  of  heating 
rather  dangerous  if  a  fire  should  break  out. 

The  commissioners  should  consider  the  propriety  of  installing  better 
accommodations  for  the  family  of  the  sheriff  in  the  interest  of  common 
decency  and  correct  living.  The  new  heating  arrangement  could  be  con¬ 
nected  with  the  prison,  and  proper  bathing  accommodations  supplied. 

During  the  brief  intervals  when  culprits  are  confined,  they  are  kept 
within  very  narrow  limits,  with  no  opportunity  for  exercise  in  the  open. 

There  are  two  county  seats  in  Pennsylvania  without  railroad  facilities, 
Milford  and  McConnellsburg.  Possibly  this  fact  may  account  for  the  great 
expense  charged  against  the  county  for  transporting  a  prisoner  to  the 
reformatory  or  the  penitentiary.  We  saw  one  bill  for  such  a  service  which 
amounted  to  $259.77 — an  amount  which  is  exceeded  for  a  similar  service 
by  no  county  in  the  Commonwealth. 


POTTER  COUNTY— Coudersport  Visited  Aug.  14,  1919. 

This  county  maintains  in  its  prison,  on  the  average  each  day,  four  or 
five  prisoners.  There  was  one  lone  man  on  the  day  of  inspection. 

They  do  not  anticipate  the  care  of  women  prisoners  as  they  have  no 
place  for  them. 

The  sheriff  was  a  good  example  of  the  humane  official.  The  law  allowed 
him  fifty  cents  per  diem  for  supplying  food  to  each  prisoner,  but  he  does 
not  make  the  high  cost  of  living  a  pretext  for  stinting  the  food  supply. 
The  prisoners  receive  a  wholesome  and  nutritious  ration,  about  the  same  as 
any  good  farmer  might  furnish,  butter,  milk  and  sugar  not  being  omitted. 

This  sheriff  takes  a  genuine  interest  in  those  placed  under  his  care, 
believes  in  the  square  deal,  gives  them  reasonable  opportunity  for  exercise, 
supervises  those  on  parole,  is  convinced  that  there  is  some  good  in  every 
man,  and  is  glad  at  times  to  receive  visits  from  those  to  whom  he  has  been 
guardian,  friend  and  adviser.  It  is  a  pity  we  have  so  few  officials  of 
this  type. 


SCHUYLKILL  COUNTY— Pottsville  Visited  Dec.  12,  1919 

Number  convicts  day  of  inspection  .  58 

Number  held  for  trial .  9 

Number  held  as  witness  .  1 

Total  .  68 

Daily  average,  1918  .  89 

Dailv  average,  1915  . 200 


There  are  at  least  three  potent  factors  to  be  considered  in  accounting 
for  the  decrease.  They  are  Parole,  Probation  and  Prohibition.  We  did 
not  leam  the  exact  number  whom  the  judges  have  released  on  probation 
but  are  informed  that  the  principle  is  recognized  and  acted  upon.  75  charged 
with  desertion  were  under  the  jurisdiction  of  the  court.  416  had  been 
paroled.  The  number  slated  for  “drunk  and  disorderly”  is  fast  appi'oaching 
the  vanishing  point. 

Under  the  instalment  method,  $3,070  had  been  collected  in  1918  on 
account  of  fines  and  costs.  It  is  thought  that  in  this  county  the  method 
of  collecting  fines  by  instalments  was  initiated.  At  least  the  system  was 
in  vogue  in  Schuylkill  County  before  the  Act  of  1917  was  approved.  The 


44 


Review  of  County  Jails  in  Pennsylvania 


results  have  been  eminently  satisfactory. 

In  1918  the  daily  expense  for  food  for  each  prisoner  was  near  28c. 

In  1915  the  daily  expense  for  food  for  each  prisoner  was  near  12c. 
High  cost  of  living,  not  the  management,  is  responsible  for  the  in¬ 
crease.  The  prisoners  receive  the  usual  prison  breakfast  and  supper.  For 
dinner  they  have  meat  every  day  except  on  Friday  when  fish  is  served. 


Vegetables  in  season  are  also  served. 

Net  cost  in  1918  daily  average  89  prisoners . $30,471.80 

Net  cost  in  1915  daily  average  200  prisoners .  30,471.00 

Another  illustration  of  high  cost  of  living. 


At  present  the  closets  are  flushed  by  drawing  water  into  a  bucket 
from  a  spigot,  and  emptying  same  into  the  bowl.  Direct  flushing  arrange¬ 
ments  should  be  provided. 

The  segregation  of  the  women  from  the  men  is  not  so  complete  as  would 
be  desirable. 

Maintenance  of  convicts  at  other  penal  institutions,  1918,  $9,811.94 

So  the  entire  bill  for  maintenance  of  prisoners  is  much  less  than  any 
other  county  of  its  class.  How  does  this  happen?  The  authorities  argue 
that  they  have  a  prison  sufficiently  commodious  for  all  their  prisoners  s» 
they  retain  them  in  the  county  except  those  found  guilty  of  murder,  and 
the  younger  criminals  who  may  be  sent  to  the  Catholic  Protectory  or  to 
the  House  of  Refuge  at  Glen  Mills. 

Some  of  the  men  work  at  carpet  weaving.  Sales  of  carpet  in  1918  were 
$3,568.  A  considerable  number  are  employed  in  domestic  duties.  But  it 
goes  without  saying  that  the  problem  for  the  prisoners  in  the  Schuylkill 
County  Prison  has  not  been  solved.  Nearly  a  half  century  was  wasted  in 
this  Bastile  in  1918,  and  somebody  or  bodies  should  be  held  responsible. 
The  trend  of  public  sentiment  is  rapidly  veering  toward  the  establishment 
of  prison  farms  where  there  may  be  found  employment  for  all  inmates.  It  is 
unwise  and  unjust  to  support  our  wrongdoers  in  genteel  idleness.  Let  them 
earn  their  maintenance. 

There  is  a  recreation  ground  of  about  one  acre  within  the  walled  en¬ 
closure  on  which  at  times  may  be  seen  all  the  men  playing  games,  strolling 
about  and  engaging  in  quiet  conversation.  This  privilege  is  humane  and 
wholesome. 


SNYDER  COUNTY— Middleburg  Visited  Sept.  10,  1919. 

There  were  two  convicts  and  one  untried  prisoner  on  the  day  of  in¬ 
spection.  The  average  daily  number  is  less  than  one. 

The  prison  is  directly  connected  with  the  apartments  of  the  sheriff, 
and  is  a  2-story  structure  with  rooms  opening  into  an  inside  hall.  There 
is  a  door  leading  into  a  yard  to  which  the  prisoners  may  have  access  at  any 
time  of  the  day.  There  was  one  woman  prisoner  who  remained  with  the 
family  of  the  sheriff  and  ministered  to  their  wants. 

The  prison  was  in  much  better  condition  than  when  inspected  by  us 
in  1914. 

A  bath  tub  or  a  shower  bath  should  be  installed. 

Fair  treatment  is  the  rule  of  the  prison. 

The  sheriff  receives  75  cents  daily  for  each  prisoner  in  his  care,  50  cents 
for  food,  and  25  cents  for  care. 

The  county  pays  $20.00  for  the  preparation  of  a  report  to  the  Boai’d 
of  Public  Charities. 

The  meals  correspond  to  those  served  at  a  farmer’s  table.  Eggs  or 
meat  are  served  every  day. 

It  is  reported  that  the  court  is  opposed  to  the  principle  of  parole.  This 
antiquated  obsolete  notion  would  be  quite  serious  if  there  were  many  mis¬ 
demeanants  in  this  county. 


Somerset  County 


45 


SOMERSET  COUNTY — Somerset  Visited  Sept.  11,  1919 

Number  incarcerated  day  of  inspection  . 18 

Average  daily  population,  1918  . 16?^ 


The  food  fee  is  fifty  cents,  and  the  meals  supplied  are  ample. 

There  is  no  opportunity  for  exercise  in  the  open  air,  but  the  prisoners 
have  the  freedom  of  the  corridors  all  day  long.  The  inmates  assist  in  do¬ 
mestic  service.  No  other  employment.  No  one  should  be  detained  here 
longer  than  thirty  days.  The  prison  should  be  used  merely  as  a  place  of 
detention  for  the  untried  and  for  those  sentenced  to  a  few  days. 

The  sanitary  arrangements  have  been  improved  and  are  now  quite 
correct. 

To  make  the  report  to  the  Board  of  Public  Charities  costs  $20.00. 


SULLIVAN  COUNTY— Laporte  Visited  July  7,  1919. 

There  was  only  one  prisoner  and  if  he  had  fully  appreciated  the  rules 
and  privileges  of  parole,  the  prison  would  have  had  no  occupant. 

No  prisoner  in  1918. 

Meals  were  furnished  to  the  prisoner  by  the  hotel  of  the  county  seat 
for  which  the  sheriff  received  daily  the  sum  of  fifty  cents. 

The  jail  is  comfortable  and  was  kept  scrupulously  clean. 

The  parole  law  has  friends  in  Sullivan  County. 

SUSQUEHANNA  COUNTY— Montrose  Visited  July  3,  1919. 

Six  prisoners  were  found  confined  in  this  dismal  jail,  and  this  number 
was  about  the  average  daily  number  in  1918. 

It  is  entered  from  the  residence  of  the  sheriff  and  appears  to  consist 
of  a  basement  with  an  upper  story. 

Four  of  the  inmates  were  federal  prisoners,  being  entertained  tem¬ 
porarily. 

There  were  sixteen  cells,  rather  dark  and  forbidding  in  appearance. 

The  prisoners  assist  in  domestic  duties  and  may  aid  in  caring  for  a 
garden.  There  is  a  small  outdoor  plot  to  which  the  prisoners  at  times  have 
access.  The  bathing  arrangements  are  justly  condemned.  It  would  be 
better  for  the  commissioners  to  order  a  new  prison  constructed  with  refer¬ 
ence  to  modem  requirements.  The  present  structure  is  a  disgrace  to  the 
county. 

For  breakfast  and  supper  we  noted  bread,  coffee,  potatoes  and  cereal. 

For  dinner,  macaroni  with  cheese,  potatoes,  bread  and  gravy.  The  fare 
is  above  the  average  for  prison  fare,  and  the  sheriff  receives  from  the 
county  a  fee  of  fifty  cents  daily  per  prisoner. 

Fines  were  levied  in  1918  to  the  amount  of  $370,  of  which  $295  was  re¬ 
ported  as  uncollectible.  On  the  instalment  plan  as  provided  by  the  Act 
of  1917,  a  larger  percentage  of  fines  and  costs  could  be  collected. 

TIOGA  COUNTY— Wellsboro  Visited  Aug.  22,  1919. 

The  County  Prison  was  doubtless  constructed  in  view  of  contingencies 
which  have  probably  never  been  contingent.  At  one  time,  a  few  years  ago, 
no  one  was  imprisoned  on  the  day  of  inspection  and  this  year  but  one 
person  was  confined  at  the  time  of  the  visit.  The  daily  average  for  the 
year  1918  was  not  quite  three.  There  is  a  two-story  set  of  cages  with  inside 
and  outside  corridor,  but  the  accommodations  are  in  excess  of  the  demand, 
and  we  trust  the  establishment  may  have  even  fewer  patrons  than  hitherto. 

If  the  building  is  to  be  used  at  all,  the  bathing  arrangements  need  a 
thorough  overhauling.  The  most  ordinary  hotel  supplies  to  a  guest  a 
pillow  and  sheets.  These  are  lacking  in  this  place  of  entertainment. 

It  is  reported  that  a  man  may  be  boarded  in  this  institution  for  a  year 


46 


Review  of  County  Jails  in  Pennsylvania 


without  employment  or  an  opportunity  to  exercise  in  the  open  air.  All 
wrong.  A  very  few  days  are  sufficient  for  incarceration  in  this  prison. 

The  bill  of  fare  is  not  luxurious,  but  sufficient. 

Breakfast — Good  bread,  real  coffee,  cereal. 

Supper — Good  bread,  tea,  fried  potatoes. 

Dinner — Vegetables  with  gravy.  Meat  once  or  twice  weekly. 

The  sheriff’s  fee  is  fifty  cents. 

UNION  COUNTY — Lewisburg  Visited  July  2,  1919. 

No  one  imprisoned  and  the  daily  average,  1918,  was  less  than  one. 

Even  if  there  were  prisoners,  a  sub-basement  is  no  place  to  detain  a 
human  being.  No  yard  is  attached  to  the  jail.  The  prisoners  must  re¬ 
main  in  his  damp  quarters  till  released.  The  other  living  arrangements 
are  fair,  and  the  food  is  the  same  as  the  ordinary  family  dietary.  The 
fee  is  seventy-five  cents,  and  since  the  law  fixes  the  maximum  fee  fox- 
food  at  fifty  cents,  we  may  state  that  the  sheriff  receives  fifty  cents  for 
the  food  supplied  and  twenty-five  cents  for  the  serving. 

Children  or  young  people  may  be  released  on  probation. 

Either  a  new  prison  should  be  constructed  or  the  prisoners  removed 
as  soon  as  possible  to  some  district  penal  institution  on  a  farm. 

VENANGO  COUNTY— Franklin  Visited  July  12,  1919. 

Number  of  prisoners  on  the  day  of  inspection  was  ten,  seven  of  whom 
were  being  detained  for  trial.  Average  daily  population,  1918,  was  less 
than  three.  So  the  midsummer  population  was  rather  excessive  and  un¬ 
happy.  They  could  not  be  happy  cooped  up  in  this  fashion  to  remain  till 
court  should  assemble  in  autumn.  No  wonder,  since  there  is  no  employment 
and  no  opportunity  for  exercise  other  than  in  a  narrow  range  corridor  in 
front  of  the  steel  cages. 

The  boarding  fee  is  forty  cents.  This  amount  secures  for  the  prisoners 
the  usual  prison  breakfast  and  supper  and  a  dinner  of  meat  with  vegetables 
every  day,  though  eggs  sometimes  take  the  place  of  meat. 

There  appeared  to  be  a  lack  of  harmony  between  the  jailer  and  his 
wards.  A  few  months  ago  the  jailer  was  quite  badly  beaten  up  by  some 
prisoners  who  planned  to  escape.  On  this  day  one  of  the  men  was  scat¬ 
tering  the  contents  of  his  mattress  about  his  cage  and  the  corridoi'.  No 
reason  was  assigned.  The  spirit  of  antagonism  was  rife.  There  was 
lack  of  team  work.  Either  the  criminals  of  Venango  County  are  really  a 
bad  set,  or  there  was  lack  of  tact  in  the  management. 

The  toilet  and  bathing  facilities  are  inadequate,  and  the  bedding  is 
incomplete. 

We  confess  to  a  feeling  of  disappointment  in  penal  conditions  in 
Venango  County.  Let  the  prisoners  have  some  sort  of  an  occupation.  En¬ 
large  their  privileges.  Try  some  reformatory  measures.  Enlist  their 
good  will. 

WARREN  COUNTY— Warren  Visited  Aug.  19,  1919. 

Constructed  of  stone  walls  with  an  inside  steel  structure  of  36  cages, 
which  on  the  day  of  visitation  were  occupied  by  ten  pi-isoners,  seven  of 
whom  were  being  detained  until  the  court  should  convene.  The  daily  average 
number  confined  in  1918  was  less  than  four. 

They  eat  at  tables  and  have  regular  meals. 

Breakfast — Bread,  imitation  coffee,  milk,  sugar  and  cereal. 

Dinner — Bread,  two  vegetables,  gravy  made  of  suet,  apple  butter, 
meat  twice  weekly. 

Supper— Bi-ead,  coffee  or  tea,  remnants  of  dinner. 


Washington  County 


47 


For  this  supply  of  provisions,  the  sheriff  receives  fifty  cents  daily 
for  each  prisoner,  and  for  his  care  in  the  matter  $520  annually.  The  far# 
is  rather  better  than  the  average  prison  fare  in  the  State,  and  while  th« 
sheriff  is  not  enriching  himself  with  the  profits,  he  is  far  from  losing 
money  in  the  venture. 

The  men  have  the  freedom  of  a  rather  wide  corridor,  and  a  few  of 
them  are  allowed  at  times  to  work  about  the  Court  House  grounds.  In 
almost  every  county  there  would  be  economy  in  allowing  the  prisoners 
do  the  necessary  work  about  the  Court  House  and  lawn. 

Some  tobacco  is  furnished.  The  beds  are  neat  with  full  equipment  and 
the  living  facilities  are  satisfactory. 

There  are  weekly  religious  services. 

There  was  no  appearance  of  dissatisfaction. 


WASHINGTON  COUNTY— Washington  Visited  June  16,  1919. 

The  management  is  under  a  sheriff  who  employs  a  warden. 

There  are  three  stories  of  cages,  each  range  of  cages  with  narrow 
corridor.  The  prisoners  have  during  the  day  the  privilege  of  roaming 
back  and  forth  in  the  narrow  range  shelving.  Outside  the  range  corridors 
there  is  an  ample  area  reaching  to  the  outside  wall.  It  is  a  pity  that  more 
of  them  are  not  allowed  more  freedom  in  this  area.  However,  the  labor 
of  the  prisoners  is  utilized  in  the  care  of  the  Court  House  and  lawn,  thereby 
making  the  prisoners  more  docile  and  effecting  considerable  economy  for 
the  taxpayers,  for  the  men  appreciate  the  privilege  of  doing  some  work 
and  are  really  on  their  good  behavior  while  so  employed. 

Their  beds  and  bedding  deserve  the  condemnation  which  has  been 
lavishly  heaped  upon  them,  and  doubtless  at  the  time  of  the  next  inspection 
we  will  have  some  improvement  to  chronicle. 

Criminals  may  be  sentenced  to  remain  in  this  prison  for  one  year, 
though  the  employment  is  exceedingly  insufficient.  Not  more  than  ten  or 
fifteen  can  be  employed  about  the  premises.  The  authorities  have  given 
some  attention  to  the  idleness  so  prevalent  at  the  prison,  and  we  hope 
some  solution  may  be  found.  The  citizens  are  aware  of  the  situation  but 
they  are  very  dilatory  about  finding  the  remedy.  Their  diagnosis  is  correct, 
but,  using  no  remedies,  the  conditions  remain  the  same.  The  counties  of 
the  southwestern  portion  of  Pennsylvania  were  among  the  first  to  consider 
the  establishment  of  a  joint  Industrial  Penal  Farm.  Possibly  they  are 
awaiting  the  result  of  prohibition,  in  order  more  accurately  to  determine 
the  need  of  such  an  institution. 

Number  imprisoned  day  of  inspection  . . .  65 

Number  of  these  held  for  trial  .  34 

Number  of  days  wasted  in  idleness  by  prisoners,  1918, 

approximately  .  15,000 

Paid  to  the  sheriff  for  board,  commitments,  etc . $11,385 

Various  prison  expenses .  1,297 

(Does  not  include  gas,  electric  lighting,  coal,  water,  etc.,  the 
expense  of  which  is  blended  with  the  court  house  costs, 
so  that  they  cannot  be  differentiated.) 

Juvenile  Court  expense  .  2,638 

Maintenance  of  prisoners,  other  institutions  .  51,570 


For  penal  institutions  . $66,890 

The  establishment  of  a  penal  farm  would  result  eventually  in  saving 
a  large  part  of  this  expense. 

The  salaries  paid  in  the  Probation  Department . $3,960 

There  is  no  service  in  the  line  of  delinquency  more  beneficial  and  more 
valuable  than  the  Parole  and  Probation  Department. 

Note  a  few  figures. 


Review  of  Comity  Jails  in  Pennsylvania 


48 


Under  the  general  parole  law  and  also  under  the  law  of  1917,  allowing 
those  detained  for  non-payment  of  costs  and  fines  to  be  released  on  con¬ 
dition  of  paying  these  charges  in  instalments,  some  splendid  work  has 
been  accomplished  in  Washington  County. 

Amount  received  from  costs  and  fines,  1918 . $30,661 

Cost  to  the  county  if  these  defendants  had  remained  in 

prison  estimated  at . . .  19,600 


The  county  is  better  off  to  the  tune  of  . $50,261 

This  is  not  the  whole  story. 

Total  number  paroled  in  1918 .  245 


It  is  estimated  that  they  have  earned  for  the  support  of  themselves 
and  of  their  dependants  the  sum  of  $125,000,  which  sum  represents  the 
revenue  coming  into  Washington  County,  and  which  will  largely  be  spent 
in  the  county.  It  is  also  estimated  that  one-half  of  the  families  of  these 
paroled  men  would  have  needed  help  from  the  community.  So  however 
large  the  cost  of  caring  for  delinquents  in  the  county,  this  sum  would 
be  doubled  except  for  the  operation  of  the  parole  law.  Very  much  de¬ 
pends  upon  the  officials  chosen  to  administer  this  work.  The  attention  of 
other  counties  is  called  to  the  excellent  results  attained  in  Washington 
County.  The  salaries  paid  are  not  commensurate  with  the  service  so  faith¬ 
fully  rendered. 

Whole  number  on  parole,  January  1,  1919  . 654 

The  prisoners  have  the  usual  breakfast  and  supper,  except  that  at 
supper  gravy  is  often  served.  They  dine  on  vegetables  with  soup,  but 
meat  is  given  twice  every  week.  For  this  provision  the  sheriff  is  now 
paid  37^4  cents  daily  for  each  prisoner.  The  authorities  still  adhere  to 
the  objectionable  fee  system.  The  actual  cost  of  food  per  diem  for  each 
prisoner  in  counties  which  have  discarded  the  fee  system  varies  from 
eighteen  cents  to  twenty-eight  cents.  Granting  that  in  counties  operating 
under  the  fee  system,  the  sheriff  is  responsible  for  certain  expenses  of 
care  and  service  which  are  directly  chargeable  to  the  county  under  a 
different  system,  still  the  principle  is  wrong  which  converts  an  official 
into  a  boarding-house  keeper.  His  profits  and  rewards  should  be  based 
upon  direct  service  rendered  to  the  community,  not  from  any  trade  or 
business.  Sheriffs  are  of  different  temperaments  and  different  degrees 
of  self-interest.  While  you  may  at  present  have  a  sheriff  who  is  humane, 
how  do  we  know  that  the  next  sheriff  will  not  exploit  the  prisoners  to  his 
own  advantage? 

But  this  arrangement  will  soon  terminate.  By  an  Act  of  1909,  counties 
having  a  population  of  over  150,000  and  less  than  250,000  must  release 
the  sheriff  entirely  from  any  management  of  the  prison.  A  Board  of 
Managers  is  to  be  duly  appointed  who  shall  select  a  warden  for  super¬ 
intendent,  and  it  is  explicitly  provided  that  the  food  is  to  be  purchased  by 
contract,  the  fee  system  being  entirely  abolished.  The  next  census  will 
doubtless  show  that  Washington  County  has  more  than  150,000  inhabitants. 
If  a  sheriff  has  been  elected  on  the  old  basis,  it  will  be  a  subject  for 
judicial  decision  as  to  when  that  law  shall  go  into  effect. 

WAYNE  COUNTY — Honesdale  Visited  Aug.  23,  1919. 

Two  prisoners  were  discovered,  one  of  whom  was  being  held  for  trial. 
The  convict  was  serving  a  sentence  of  14  months,  entirely  too  long  in 
such  a  prison  excepting  for  the  fact  that  he  was  regarded  as  a  “trusty”  and 
was  engaged  in  caring  for  the  ample  garden  on  the  premises.  The  inmates 
eat  at  a  table  and  have  no  complaint  as  to  their  living  arrangements.  Fee 
system,  fifty  cents,  which  is  none  too  much  for  the  fare  they  receive. 

A  small  prison  of  six  cells  with  the  comforts  of  the  usual  dwelling- 
house.  Cleanliness  rules.  Some  tobacco  is  supplied  by  the  sheriff. 


W estmoreland  County 


49 


Paraphrasing  an  expression  of  President  Lincoln,  “For  a  prison  of 
this  kind  there  is  no  objection  to  it  as  a  prison  of  this  kind.” 


WESTMORELAND  COUNTY— Greensburg  Visited  July  17,  1919. 

Number  in  prison  day  of  inspection  . .  85 

Average  daily  number,  1918  .  67 

Number  commitments,  1918  . 1210 


Hence  we  may  infer  that  the  average  term  of  imprisonment  is 
probably  less  than  thirty  days,  though  a  few  have  served  time  in  this 
contracted  space  for  a  year. 

The  pi'ison  is  situated  adjoining  the  court  house,  therefore  convenient 
of  access  to  the  untried  prisoners.  Otherwise  the  prison  is  very  poorly 
located.  The  men’s  quarters  are  cramped,  and  the  women  are  sent  to  a 
sky  parlor.  There  is  no  prison  yard,  no  opportunity  to  enjoy  the  open 
air.  The  kitchen  is  crowded  in  next  to  the  street  and  ought  really  to  be 
renovated  and  have  its  position  changed  so  that  more  easily  could  the 
most  of  the  work  therein  be  performed  by  the  convicts.  The  prison  should 
have  been  built  on  some  city  property  outside  of  the  city  limits  and  a 
van  provided  for  use  in  court  time.  No  court  of  any  kind  is  held  in  the 
summer  so  that  the  57  guilty  or  innocent  who  have  failed  in  getting  bail 
and  who  were  confined  at  the  time  of  inspection  must  languish  behind  these 
steel  bars  till  court  convenes  in  the  autumn.  Then  they  must  await  the 
convenience  of  the  court  before  they  are  summoned. 

On  this  prison  farm  they  would  have  an  environment  more  wholesome 
in  every  way.  A  great  part  of  their  sustenance  would  come  from  the 
farm.  In  1918  a  few  prisoners  were  paroled  to  work  on  this  farm,  or 
were  sent  out  under  guard  for  same  purpose.  Seventeen  prisoners  had 
enjoyed  the  activities  of  a  road  camp.  This  indicates  that  a  laudable  effort 
has  been  made  to  find  work  for  the  men,  but  entirely  too  many  men  had 
been  allowed  to  suffer  the  evil  effects  of  idleness. 

When  the  authorities  conclude  to  make  some  necessary  changes  in 
the  culinary  department,  let  them  also  give  some  attention  to  improving 
the  sanitary  and  ventilating  appliances.  A  canvas  cot  with  blanket  may 
answer  for  camping  out  purposes,  but  really  beds  should  be  beds  even  in 
a  prison.  A  laundry  operated  by  the  prisoners  will  take  care  of  the  linen. 

Imagine  a  high  and  wide  hall  on  either  side  of  which  is  a  steel  door 
opening  into  a  corridor  with  two-story  ranges  of  steel  cells  on  each  side. 
Thus  may  one  visualize  this  prison.  Some  years  ago  the  warden  had 
tables  placed  in  the  corridors  at  which  the  men  take  their  meals.  There 
was  no  trouble  caused  by  this  arrangement.  The  cells  were  kept  cleaner. 
It  was  noted  that  the  men  did  not  converse  during  the  meals.  The  general 
effect  would  be  improved  if  the  men  were  allowed  to  indulge  in  quiet 
conversation. 

They  are  together  much  of  the  day  in  their  respective  corridors. 

Daily  cost  of  food  per  prisoner  in  1918 . 19^0 

Breakfast — Bread,  coffee,  no  syrup. 

Supper — Bread,  coffee  and  some  vegetable. 

Dinner — Soup  with  ^  lb.  meat  daily.  Change  of  vegetables  each  day. 

The  sheriffs  and  wardens,  who  receive  a  daily  fee  for  boarding  pris¬ 
oners,  say  there  is  no  profit  in  feeding  them  at  forty  or  fifty  cents  daily. 
Note  the  menu  served  in  this  prison  at  less  than  twenty  cents  daily. 

WYOMING  COUNTY — Tunkhannock  Visited  Aug.  23,  1919. 

Five  prisoners  were  found,  four  of  whom  were  untried.  Those  who 
wish  to  plead  guilty  may  have  speedy  sentences,  as  the  court  during  the 
summer  gives  the  prisoners  this  privilege. 


50 


Review  of  County  Jails  in  Pennsylvania 


An  old  prison  with  inside  corridor  and  chinks  for  windows.  Except 
the  bedding,  the  living  arrangements  are  satisfactory. 

The  sheriff  supplies  the  prisoners  with  food  from  his  own  table,  and 
receives  from  the  county  the  sum  of  fifty  cents  per  day  for  each  inmate. 


The  net  cost  of  the  prison  in  1918  . $393.50 

Cost  of  maintaining  prisoners  elsewhere .  544.00 

Total  maintenance  . $937.50 


So  criminals  in  Wyoming  are  neither  numerous  nor  expensive. 

In  nearly  all  prisons  of  the  State,  the  inmates  are  allowed  to  buy 
extra  supplies  of  provisions.  Here  they  buy  tobacco  only,  an  indication 
that  the  sheriff’s  bill  of  fare  is  ample  and  satisfactory. 

There  is  a  small  yard  in  which  they  occasionally  take  exercise. 

There  is  no  proper  accommodation  for  segregating  the  women  prisoners. 

The  maximum  sentence  is  ninety  days.  There  is  so  little  employment 
that  the  maximum  ought  to  be  no  more  than  five  days. 

YORK  COUNTY— York  Visited  Aug.  4.  1919. 

It  is  customary  with  writers,  who  attempt  to  describe  the  York  County 
prison  and  its  methods,  to  condemn  with  severity  the  administrative  policy, 
and  to  reproach  the  management  with  entire  lack  of  humanity  in  continu¬ 
ing  practices  which  are  infamous,  brutalizing  and  scandalous. 

All  this  denunciation  has  appeared  to  have  little  effect.  The  good 
citizens  of  York  County  are  naturally  conservative  and  are  averse  to  mak¬ 
ing  changes.  Why  should  they  worry? 

So  let  us  drop  opprobrious  epithets  and  approach  the  subject  from 
a  different  angle. 

In  York  County  a  new  sheriff  is  installed  into  office  on  the  first  day 
of  each  leap  year.  In  this  same  county  the  sheriff  has  control  of  the 
prison  and  its  inmates,  subject  to  such  regulations  as  the  commissioners 
may  prescribe.  It  may  be  assumed  that  their  prescriptions  have  not  to  any 
considerable  extent  interfered  with  the  administration  of  the  sheriff.  We 
have  never  heard,  for  instance,  that  they  ventured  to  prescribe  the  dietary 
suitable  for  prisoners  whether  guilty  or  not  guilty.  On  the  day  of  inspection 
there  were  53  prisoners,  over  two-thirds  of  whom,  or  36,  were  held  for 
trial.  It  would  be  reasonable  to  furnish  to  those  who  are  not  convicted 
the  usual  diet  of  the  ordinary  citizen.  This  matter  may  have  received 
due  attention.  There  is  one  other  phase  of  penal  legislation  in  the  Common¬ 
wealth  which  the  citizens  of  this  county  must  consider.  In  1910  the 
census  of  York  County  revealed  a  population  of  136,405.  It  is  quite  possible 
that  the  census  of  1920  will  reveal  a  population  of  over  150,000.  If  this  is 
the  case,  Act  171,  P.  L.,  1909,  as  amended  by  Act.  194,  P.  L.,  1915,  will  auto¬ 
matically  relieve  the  sheriff  of  the  care  and  responsibility  of  the  prison, 
and  will  constitute  the  controller,  the  three  commissioners,  along  with 
the  sheriff,  a  board  of  management,  who  shall  appoint  a  warden  to  carry 
out  the  regulations  of  the  board  as  may  concern  the  discipline,  and  govern¬ 
ment  of  the  prison.  “The  present  responsibility  of  the  sheriff  .  .  .  shall 

cease  and  determine.  .  .  .”  All  the  expenditures  for  the  support  and 

maintenance  of  the  prisoners  shall  be  paid  on  authorized  warrants  by  the 
County  Treasurer.  The  fee  system  terminates. 

There  is  one  section  of  the  law  which  may  require  judicial  interpre¬ 
tation.  “In  all  counties,  where  the  sheriff  is  now  the  acting  warden  or 
keeper  of  the  county  jail  or  prison,  and  has  his  residence  therein,  this  act 
shall  not  take  effect  until  the  expiration  of  the  term  of  office  of  the  sheriff 
now  so  acting  as  warden.  .  .  ”  This  bill  was  approved  May  21,  1913, 

and  took  effect  thirty  days  after  the  bill  was  approved.  What  is  the  inter¬ 
pretation  of  the  word  “now”  in  the  section  quoted  above?  Undoubtedly 


York  County 


51 


as  used  in  the  bill,  the  word  refers  to  the  sheriffs  serving  in  1913.  There 
was  no  provision  for  retaining  sheriffs  in  office  in  the  years  to  come  when 
the  population  of  any  county  should  amount  to  150,000.  Would  a  construc¬ 
tion  according  to  sense  result  in  forcing  the  anxious  sheriff  to  retain  his 
position — to  the  end  of  the  term  for  which  he  was  elected?  We  sympathize 
deeply  with  him  in  this  predicament.  We  are  by  no  means  sure  how  this 
law  may  be  interpreted.  If  the  sheriff  has  his  residence  outside  the 
prison,  he  can  easily  escape  the  jailer’s  responsibilities,  for  the  law  ex¬ 
plicitly  states  that  if  he  “has  his  residence  therein”  he  is  not  to  be  dis¬ 
turbed  till  his  term  of  office  has  expired.  Considering  the  other  duties 
of  the  sheriff  in  a  large  county,  he  ought  to  be  relieved  from  the  care  of 
the  prison.  We  congratulate  the  present  sheriff  on  the  ease  with  which 
this  relief  can  be  obtained,  if  only  the  census  may  reveal  a  population 
of  150,000.  Just  as  soon  as  the  official  census  figures  are  reported,  the  board 
within  thirty  days  may  assume  charge  of  the  prison  and  appoint  a  warden, 
who  need  not  be  dismayed  by  the  high  cost  of  living  in  providing  a  reason¬ 
able  supply  of  food  for  those  under  his  charge.  But  we,  as  well  as  the 
sheriff,  may  be  disappointed  in  the  census  report.  However,  it  is  scarcely 
credible  to  suppose  that  York  County  with  all  its  attractive  features  has 
not  gained  in  the  last  decade  at  least  twelve  per  cent. 

In  1914  our  notes  present  the  following  menu  for  a  week:  “Bread 
and  coffee  every  meal,  enlivened  with  soup,  meat  and  vegetables  thrice 
weekly.”  Eighteen  meals  of  bread  and  coffee,  three  real  meals,  each 
week.  Thirty  cents  daily  for  each  inmate  at  that  time  was  paid.  Estimating 
profit  at  15  cents  daily  per  prisoner,  the  sum  daily  realized  on  80  prisoners 
equaled  $12.00,  and  in  365  days,  $4,380.00. 

In  1919,  the  report  shows  that  the  prisoners  were  regaled  with  soup, 
compounded  of  meat  and  vegetables,  twice  each  week,  and  that  on  one 
other  occasion  potatoes  were  served.  At  other  intervals  during  the  week 
bread  and  a  liquid  called  coffee  was  served,  but  really  it  would  be  a  mis¬ 
nomer  to  speak  of  such  a  menu  as  a  meal.  The  cost  of  a  week’s  board 
at  this  institution  was  $3.15.  At  least  the  county  pays  this  sum.  The 
prisoners  have  the  privilege  of  securing  additional  provision  either  by 
purchase  or  through  the  kindness  of  friends.  This  gracious  concession  is 
used  to  the  limit,  but  works  to  the  decided  disadvantage  of  the  impecunious 
inmate. 

The  former  sheriffs  have  gone  to  their  rewards.  The  present  sheriff 
enters  upon  his  duties  under  a  new  dispensation  or  with  the  knowledge 
that  the  appointment  of  a  warden  will  relieve  him  of  a  heavy  burden  of  care. 

In  the  selection  of  a  sheriff,  doubtless  the  enlightened  citizens  of  York 
County  have  hitherto  had  in  mind  those  qualities  of  heart  and  soul  which 
are  most  suitable  for  dealing  with  delinquents.  The  convicts  sometimes 
remain  in  this  prison  for  a  year.  So  it  is  evident  that  for  such  a  work  an 
official  should  be  chosen  not  only  for  his  ability  to  keep  law-breakers 
in  custody,  but  for  his  reformatory  influences.  If  at  all  possible,  these 
inmates  should  receive  such  care  and  attention  that  when  they  leave  the 
prison  behind  they  are  the  better  for  their  imprisonment.  Such  is  the 
main  object  of  imprisonment.  When  the  new  prison  board  meets  to  select 
the  warden,  they  should  consider  the  fitness  of  the  applicants  to  discharge 
the  responsibilities  which  belong  to  such  a  service.  He  should  be  a  man 
of  integrity,  a  man  who  would  command  respect  and  esteem,  a  man  who 
could  inspire  those  under  his  charge  to  adopt  higher  standards  of  living. 
He  should  be  a  confirmed  foe  to  idleness,  and  should  never  cease  in  efforts 
to  provide  every  man  and  woman  with  employment. 

The  political  views  of  an  aspirant  for  such  a  task  have  little  to  do 
with  his  fitness.  His  ideas  on  the  tariff  or  the  League  of  Nations  should 
have  no  weight  in  determining  the  selection  of  the  candidate;  character, 
and  character  only,  coupled  with  administrative  wisdom,  should  be  taken 


52 


Review  of  County  Jails  in  Pennsylvania 


into  consideration.  It  is  inconceivable  that  an  intelligent  board  would 
act  otherwise. 

It  is  reported  that  the  sheriff  whose  term  has  recently  expired  has 
forbidden  the  Sabbath  religious  services.  Some  sort  of  service  should  be 
restored.  Whether  on  account  of  quarantine  regulations,  or  criticism  of 
the  administration,  or  lack  of  team  work,  the  services  were  discontinued, 
we  have  not  heard,  but  we  hope  to  hear  that  the  new  management  has 
allowed  such  services  to  be  resumed.  In  many  penal  institutions,  the  Salva¬ 
tion  Army  has  accomplished  a  good  work. 

There  is  no  yard  attached  to  the  premises  in  which  the  inmates  may 
take  any  exercise  in  the  open  air. 

The  controller’s  report  shows  that  two  probation  officers  are  receiving 
salaries.  We  have  thought  that  they  were  largely  connected  with  work 
for  juveniles  and  young  misdemeanants,  a  most  excellent  work,  but  that 
adult  probation  and  parole  have  not  been  seriously  considered  by  the  court. 
The  report  shows  that  during  the  year  1918,  the  sum  of  $66.63  was  re¬ 
ceived  on  account  of  costs  and  fines.  This  contrasts  with  the  record  of 
Washington  County  where  in  1918  the  sum  of  $30,661  was  received  under 
the  supervision  of  the  parole  officer,  and  paid  over  to  the  county.  If  the 
complete  figures  appear  in  the  controller’s  report,  there  is  much  lack  of 
proper  management  in  the  collection  of  fines  and  costs  in  York  County. 

The  County  Prison  expenses  for  1918  are  reported  to  be  $5,965.88. 

This  does  not  include  the  cost  of  boarding  the  prisoners,  nor  the 
turnkey  fees  so  far  as  we  could  discover.  There  must  have  been  some 
charges  on  these  accounts  in  the  year  1918. 

Expenses  in  other  penal  institutions  for  maintenance  $15,626.29. 

If  the  prisoners  are  recruited  from  the  ranks  of  the  worthless  vaga¬ 
bonds  or  the  idle  classes,  they  should  be  compelled  to  work,  not  supported 
in  their  chosen  profession. 

If  the  prisoners,  through  some  mistake,  or  even  fault,  are  taken  from 
the  ranks  of  labor,  whatever  may  be  the  occupation,  they  should  be 
allowed  to  continue  in  some  gainful  employment  in  order  to  maintain  them¬ 
selves,  their  families  and  their  physical  condition.  No  prisoner  should  be 
subject  to  the  demoralization  resulting  from  idleness. 

The  problem  of  the  employment  of  delinquents  has  not  yet  been  solved 
in  York  County. 

N.  B. — Since  writing  our  annual  fulmination  against  the  iniquities  of 
the  management  of  the  York  County  Prison,  some  good  news  has  been 
received  at  headquarters.  The  reign  of  the  new  chief  appears  to  be  a 
more  happy  one.  “One  square  meal”  daily  is  reported  to  be  served.  There 
is  much  ground  for  the  opinion  that  the  prisoners  are  regarded  no  longer 
as  animals  for  exploitation,  but  as  real  human  beings.  There  is  a  manifest 
desire  to  find  employment  for  the  prisoners. 

We  have  understood  that  one  of  the  officials  of  the  present  regime 
has  offered  to  supervise  the  demolition  of  the  old  prison,  now  practically 
disused,  in  order  that  an  open  air  resort  may  be  obtained  for  the  prisoners. 
The  work  is  to  be  done  by  the  prisoners  themselves.  This  project  should  be 
encouraged. 

Let  the  good  work  proceed. 


JQSSPH  RUZlCKAl 
BOOKBiNCERS | 

SAtTIMORE.WD. 

QRttNSBOBO.N.C 

WA8WINQTON.OCJ 


